Obtaining Providers' 'Buy-In' and Establishing Effective Means of Information Exchange Will be Critical to HITECH's Success

This article examines factors influencing the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology, as well as outstanding challenges to the long-term success of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Provider and patient support—as well as confidence that the technological capacity for the exchange of health information will evolve among diverse providers and geographic locales—are essential to achieving HITECH's goals. Despite early indications that HITECH has helped to expand both the use of electronic health records and practices that meet the initial federal standards for the meaningful use of health information technology, the ability to fulfill the goals behind the legislation depends heavily on sustaining stakeholder and policymaker support.