Declare Health Tech Week

Senate Resolution No. 2080 BY: Senator HANNON MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 2-6, 2017, as Health Information Technology Week in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize official weeks that are set aside to increase awareness of issues that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 2-6, 2017, as Health Information Technology Week in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of the 12th Annual National Health Information Technology Week; and WHEREAS, National Health Information Technology Week is organized by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and is supported by corporate, association, and non-profit partners from around the country; and WHEREAS, Comprehensive health care reform is not possible without system-wide adoption of health information technology, which improves the quality of healthcare delivery, increases patient safety, decreases medical errors, and strengthens the interaction between patients and healthcare providers; and WHEREAS, With the importance of value based care and evidence-based medicine, programs like "Meaningful Use" (MU) and the Quality Payment Program are benefitting healthcare providers and patients; and WHEREAS, With the MU guidelines, supported by the MACRA and the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records EHR) Incentive Programs, eligible providers and hospitals across the country increasingly understand the benefits for themselves and their patients, and are adopting Meaningful Use-compliant electronic health records; to date, New York's eligible providers and hospitals have received a significant amount of assistance from the EHR Incentive Program; and WHEREAS, It is imperative to acknowledge Health Information Technology Week in the State of New York; it is also necessary to recognize the many accomplishments that have already been attained in adopting health information technology, and to increase public awareness about the benefits of the improved quality and cost efficiency of the healthcare system that the implementation of health information technology could achieve; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 2-6, 2017, as Health Information Technology Week in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.