What is the primary purpose of the HITECH Act?

The primary purpose of the HITECH Act is to stimulate the adoption of electronic health records (EHR) and supporting technology. Enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, HITECH aims to promote the widespread use of EHR systems across the healthcare sector. This initiative was designed to optimize healthcare delivery, improve patient safety, enhance coordination of care, and ultimately lead to better health outcomes through improved efficiency and data management.

The HITECH Act also includes provisions to support healthcare providers in their transition to these technologies, such as financial incentives aimed at encouraging the meaningful use of certified EHR technology. By doing so, it aims to transform the healthcare landscape, making health information more accessible and interoperable among providers.

While the other options may relate to broader aspects of healthcare, they do not encapsulate the core intention of the HITECH Act as clearly as the promotion of EHR adoption does. Reducing healthcare costs and ensuring patient care quality improvements are important objectives within the healthcare industry, but the HITECH Act specifically focuses on technological advancement as a means to achieve these goals. Similarly, regulation of healthcare insurance companies falls outside the scope of the HITECH Act and pertains more to policies concerning health insurance