Everyone's A Critic

The big news today in Cincy was HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius in town to announce a $13.8 million health information exchange and modernization program here in southwest Ohio.

A $13.8 million federal award announced Thursday aims to improve treatment, cut costs and reduce medical errors through the use of electronic medical records for diabetic adults and children with asthma in the region.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius named Cincinnati’s HealthBridge, a non-profit organization that provides electronic medical records (EMR) connections for several hospitals, physician offices and other providers in the region, as the award recipient.

The award builds on the existing IT infrastructure HealthBridge has put in place, Sebelius said.
Asthma and diabetes are expensive diseases to treat, and patients often get care from multiple specialists. If that care, including medication, isn’t properly coordinated, patients can end up in the emergency room, driving the cost of their care up considerably, Sebelius said.

By making it easier for doctors, hospitals and patients to share information, patients get more efficient care with fewer errors, said Bob Steffel of HealthBridge.

Cincinnati is one of two sites receiving the awards under the federal stimulus program. The Southeastern Michigan Health Association, which serves the Detroit metropolitan area, received $16.2 million.

And of course, this being Cincy and this being the Obama administration announcing something that will directly create jobs in Cincy, there had to be a ruckus.

Sebelius announced the awards at the University of Cincinnati’s Care/Crawley building on the College of Medicine campus. A heckler was led away from the site by campus police after shouting remarks during Rep. Steve Driehaus’s (D-West Price Hill) remarks.

The man, who was not identified, shouted twice during Driehaus’s remarks, once exclaiming, “Shaming on you!”, and then “You lie!”

UC said the man was not arrested or charged with any offense.

Everyone's a critic, it seems.