Final answer:
Achieving HIT goals involves complex efforts in research and policy-making to balance cost, quality, and privacy in healthcare. The U.S. healthcare system faces unique challenges in cost management and access, which necessitates a multifaceted approach to improve health information technology's impact and efficiency.
Step-by-step explanation:
To address the concern about achieving the health information technology (HIT) goals of improving healthcare quality and reducing costs, it is crucial to recognize that this entails multi-faceted efforts in both research and implementation. The U.S. healthcare system, while capable of high-quality care and innovations, faces difficulties in managing costs and ensuring access to basic medical care for all. In contrast, other nations may enjoy lower costs and more equal access but can struggle with providing timely healthcare services and the most advanced medical options available.
Developing policies around HIT and the sharing of digital health records must balance several factors. Questions to consider include how to manage the cost of treatments, how to ensure patient quality of life is prioritized, and what measures are necessary to protect individual privacy in the face of increasing digitalization and data sharing among healthcare providers.
Addressing these issues requires extensive work, as evidenced by past efforts in the U.S. towards healthcare efficiency through consolidation, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence, as well as the implementation of insurance mandates. Despite increased regulations, the high costs associated with healthcare in the U.S., when compared to other countries, suggest that price, rather than usage, is a significant factor.