Governor Kaine Announces Initiative to Emphasize Health Care Quality and Transparency
– Executive Order promotes electronic records, transparency –
RICHMOND — Governor Timothy M. Kaine today signed an Executive Order that will improve and promote transparency and accountability in health care. U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt participated in the Governor’s news conference through a video-link from Washington.
Executive Order Number 42 promotes the continued shift toward electronic health records, and encourages greater “transparency” in the quality and quantity of information available to consumers and others on health care quality and pricing issues. Quality measurements will be developed in collaboration with similar initiatives in the private and public sectors.
“Health care transparency provides consumers with information and creates an incentive to choose health care providers based on value,” Governor Kaine said. “It will help Virginians spend their health care dollars wisely when they know their options in advance, know the quality of hospitals in their area, and know what procedures will cost. This transparency also will further motivate our health care providers to provide quality care at competitive prices.”
“As one of the largest purchasers of health care in Virginia, the Commonwealth is in a strong position to improve the transparency and accountability of health care, and I appreciate Governor Kaine’s leadership on this issue,” Secretary Leavitt said.
“Employers such as the Commonwealth can help their employees identify and select high quality health care at competitive prices. When a substantial number of employers commit to these improvements, our health care system as a whole will improve for all Americans.”
The Commonwealth’s goal is to help consumers and other stakeholders make value-driven health care choices by improving the availability of sound and useful information, and partnering with ongoing government and private sector efforts in this area.
“Virginia’s hospitals and health systems are pleased to be a part of this effort and look forward to working with the administration and our fellow health care providers on improving transparency and accountability in health care for Virginians,” said John Duval, Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association board member and CEO of the Medical College of Virginia Hospitals. “We agree wholeheartedly with the premise that consumers and families need and deserve better information and tools with which to judge value – price and quality – among their treatment options.”
“The Medical Society of Virginia applauds the efforts of Governor Kaine to bring additional transparency to Virginia’s health care system,” said Craig L. Hensle, MD, President of the Medical Society of Virginia, which represents 8,700 physicians. “Virginia’s physician community appreciates the opportunity to participate in the process that will help Virginians become more educated health care consumers.”
The initiative will be coordinated by the Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources, supported by the Virginia Secretaries of Administration and Technology. It builds upon two other Executive Orders issued by Governor Kaine designed toimprove health care in the Commonwealth. The Governor previously created a Health Information Technology Council to expand the use of health IT to increaseefficiency, reduce medical errors, and improve quality of care while protectingpatients' privacy and personal information. In addition, a Health Reform Commission was created to address a wide range of health care issues and make recommendationsto the Governor.
# # #
