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Electronic medical records and gift ban in place March 3, 2008 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge and Senate President Therese Murray, D-Plymouth, today announced major health care legislation that will make Massachusetts a national leader in statewide adoption of electronic medical records and the first in the country to impose an outright ban on pharmaceutical marketing gifts of any value. The Senate bill, An Act to Promote Cost Containment, Transparency and Efficiency in the Delivery of Quality Health Care, also addresses the critical areas of primary care access, transparency and efficient use of resources and technology to drive down escalating costs in our health care system. “If we expect to realize the full promise of the state's landmark health reform law – to achieve universal health coverage with safe, high quality and affordable care for all – this bill is vital,” said Sen. Moore, who played a major role in drafting the legislation. “We must expand access to care, ensure a transparent system of quality improvement and cost containment, and improve the overall health of the people of Massachusetts.” “This legislation, which Senate President Murray and I are filing with the support of our legislative colleagues, will move us aggressively toward these important goals and keep our state in the forefront of national health reform efforts. Health Reform II is a prescription for a healthy Commonwealth.” President Murray made today’s announcement at the UMass Medical School in Worcester and was joined by Sen. Moore, who is chairman of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, other senators, health care stakeholders, and UMass officials and faculty members. “This legislation represents a defining moment for the Commonwealth,” said President Murray. “Our efforts today are crucial to the future vitality of our health care system and our economy, and this bill makes good on the promise I made in October to propose bold measures to ensure the success of health care reform in Massachusetts.” The Senate bill requires statewide adoption and compatibility of electronic medical records by 2015, backed by a public commitment of $25 million a year to accelerate the program. Physicians would have to show competency in the technology for medical board registration. The bill also sets a deadline of 2012 for statewide adoption of Computerized Physician Order Entry systems (CPOE). After this date, the use of CPOE would be required for hospital licensure. The gift-ban measure prohibits pharmaceutical agents from offering gifts and physicians from accepting gifts of any kind. The ban extends to physicians’ staff and family members. The legislation allows distribution of drug samples to doctors for the exclusive use of their patients. “This bill is truly a collaborative effort,” President Murray said. “I want to congratulate Senators Richard Moore, Mark Montigny, Karen Spilka, Robert O’Leary, Susan Fargo, Steven Baddour, Stephen Buoniconti, Gale Candaras, Steven Tolman and others who made this bill possible. I’m proud of the Senate’s work to make this a meaningful and comprehensive piece of legislation.” Other highlights of the bill include:
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