Health industry under pressure to computerize

The federal government warns the health care industry to move into the computer age or it will probably impose a solution.
The New York Times

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[Below Meigh]

Shakedown...

Here we go. The government wants a total electronic medical system for records, billing, pharm, insurance...which does make sense. However, from a fiscal stand-point, it is the most expensive request next to the Starwars Defense project.
Small family and general practicioners cannot afford to spend $50K or more to update their practice, let alone migrate past records, and afford the IT bills that they never had before. With HIPA, there is now new worries and security issues. One physician I know needs a minimun $80K to just buy the Practice Software application. And that is just for 3 seats! The way the health insurers dictate payment, you think they would provide the software and systems (much like pharm reps throw samples and advertising around).
And who ends up paying this cost--we do.
(My doctor is going to close his practice in three years. And he isn't he retirement age!)