Greetings from the Staff at Gardner Resources Consulting:

Could there be glimmers of hope amidst the almost unbroken string of bad economic news? No one needs to be reminded of the persistent drumbeat of negative news: terrible market performance here and abroad; ongoing layoffs; low consumer confidence; and palpable anxiety over the future. But in five out of the last six days the market posted gains!  Consumer confidence though fragile showed some signs of improvement and aspects of the government's gigantic stimulus package are providing some cautious optimism to many observers. We're certainly not out of the woods yet, but there just might be some realistic hope on the horizon.

This month's article examines:

The recently passed economic stimulus package is relying on healthcare information technology to transform the nation's healthcare system. As an IT professional, you may be looking at the most exciting challenge and greatest opportunity of your career.

GET READY FOR THE RIDE OF YOUR CAREER

The United States has witnessed nearly a century of government initiatives bent on achieving a national healthcare policy. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Truman, Johnson and Clinton all supported some kind of healthcare reform.  Each time, the moment for change seemed promising but collapsed under the political, social and economic complexities of the day.

Not this time. Today we're wading through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and our national healthcare system is larger, more complex and under more stress than ever.  It is precisely because of all that, that we are taking the first steps toward major change in our healthcare system.  The $787 billion economic stimulus measure - known as the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act (ARRA) - is about to start pumping billions of dollars into healthcare reform. This unprecedented injection of federal funds provides $100 billion for healthcare measures including $19 billion to accelerate the development of a nationwide health information technology network by 2014.  These investments are expected to create jobs, stimulate the economy and lay the foundation for transforming the American healthcare system. The surge of federal money guarantees that change is coming, and it is coming fast.  Read More