Metric: HIT spending to increase 11% annually

Spending on healthcare information technology will grow at a rate of 11 percent per year over the next five years, according to a new market research report by Kalorama Information. By 2009 sales of HIT services and products should reach $38 billion. The report cautions, however, that the US government lacks "a coherent program of support" for healthcare IT investment.

- see this article [1] from Government Health IT

ALSO: Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) are among the sponsors of the Critical Access to Health Information Act, new legislation which would increase federal funding for HIT programs at some isolated rural hospitals. Article [2]

PLUS: The North Carolina Division of Public Health is working with the CDC on a pilot that will give first responders wireless access to PDAs equipped with GIS software. Bradshaw consulting customized software developed by ESRI for the project. Release [3]