New York, NY (June 6, 2005) – "Secretary Mike Leavitt has moved us much closer to the day when every patient in the United States will be able to send and receive vital medical information at a moment's notice through nationwide electronic health information exchange. Today, Secretary Leavitt committed to transforming health care in the United States by creating a health information-sharing environment, which will connect patients, physicians, nurses, hospitals, and other authorized healthcare providers and resources. The Secretary called for creating a 'common framework' of policies and standards that would facilitate the implementation of nationwide health information exchange. This plan promises to improve the quality of health care, reduce medical errors, lower costs, and empower patients to take an active role in making health care decisions that affect them and those they love.

"Connecting for Health, made up of more than 100 partners from the private, public, and non-profit sectors, appreciates that the Secretary and the Administration have carefully reviewed and integrated many of Connecting for Health's recommendations found in its Roadmap, as well as in its Collaborative Response with 12 other partners to HHS's request for information for nationwide electronic health information exchange. These recommendations include: the creation of a national common framework of policies and standards to achieve interoperability in healthcare; the use of the Internet to create health information sharing; open and non-proprietary standards; full patient control of electronic medical information; strong common policies to protect privacy and maintain security of patient information; rejection of the creation of a centralized, national databank for medical information; and a commitment to not erecting barriers to innovators entering the field of healthcare IT.

"By announcing the creation of the American Health Information Community today, as well as his intention to lead it, the Secretary made it clear that he is deeply committed to tapping the potential of health IT to fulfill the American people's aspirations for safe and effective health care. We applaud him for announcing his intention to involve consumers, patients, and representatives of every sector of American society in shaping nationwide electronic health information exchange.

"We look forward to working with the Secretary, the Administration, and many others to move America into a 'new age of interoperability' by creating a common framework that will allow us to meet our shared goal of a fully connected health care system serving Americans in the 21st century."

- Carol Diamond, M.D., Managing Director, Markle Foundation; Chair, Connecting for Health

About Connecting for Health
Connecting for Health is committed to accelerating the development of a health information-sharing environment by bringing together an array of private, public, and not-for-profit groups to develop common standards and values. Connecting for Health also works to overcome the technical, financial, and policy barriers to bringing health care into the information age. As one of its first steps, Connecting for Health convened a group of leading government, industry, and health care experts, who have shaped and led the national debate on electronic clinical data standards. The group forged consensus on the adoption of an initial set of standards, developed case studies on privacy and security, and helped define the electronic personal health record. For more information, visit www.connectingforhealth.org.

About the Markle Foundation
Emerging information and communication technologies possess enormous potential to improve people's lives. The Markle Foundation works to realize this potential by accelerating the use of these technologies to address critical public needs, particularly in the areas of health and national security. The Markle Foundation's overarching goal in the health area is to accelerate the rate at which information technology enables consumers and the health system that supports them to improve health and health care. The Foundation's goal is to ensure that the extraordinary potential of 21st -century information technology to improve the health and health care of each citizen is translated into everyday use as quickly and effectively as possible. For more information, see www.markle.org.