October 16, 2012 ... Sen. Richard T. Moore, D-Uxbridge, joined this week with Gov. Deval Patrick and other health information technology leaders at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston to launch the Massachusetts Health Information Highway. The event featured the Governor sending his personal health record to another hospital, the first Internet communication over the Massachusetts Health Information Exchange. The exchange was created with $16.9 million in funds from the Medicaid program and the federal economic stimulus law.

"Today marks the beginning of a new standard of care in Massachusetts," Sen. Moore told the gathering. "We have provided incentives in our Massachusetts health reform and cost containment legislation to promote the use of this technology to better serve patients and give them the tools to become a partner in managing their own health care," he explained.

Sen. Moore has long championed the use of electronic health records and other forms of health information technology to improve the quality of health care and reduce the cost of care.

Supporters of electronic medical records say they will make health care more efficient for patients and health care providers and relieve the system of much of the paperwork that burdens employees.

According to the Patrick Administration, the exchange will enable information to be shared securely and will lower health care costs. The system is designed to facilitate the exchange of information from one hospital or provider to another regardless of provider affiliation, location or differences in technology. Information will be transferred by electronic health records, secure email or local area network device in a "private, secure interoperable environment," according to the Administration.

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