Farzad Mostashari, MD, Discusses the National Investment in HIT

Farzad Mostashari, MD, visiting fellow, Brookings Institution, former national coordinator for health information technology (HIT), US Department of Health and Human Services, says we need to have payment reform to support the success of HIT.

“Health IT is truly revolutionary, truly adds value—not in the realm simply of one-on-one patient care, but when you talk about populations and managing and seeing the total health and patient experience,” he says.

Dr Mostashari also thinks we must keep pushing payment that rewards quality and outcomes. HIT can improve quality and outcomes, but progress will be slowed if it’s not incentivized or if people aren’t motivated to change and optimize their work flows.

“That’s what it takes,” he says. “It’s the incentives, it’s the information and the data; then it’s putting them together.”