The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has been gearing up for some time in converting the entire US healthcare system into an electronic medical record. Here you will be able to log onto a web site and see a map of the United States. Depicted on that map are red dots indicating the diagnosed cases of influenza within the last 24 hours. How about the last hour? How about the last ten minutes? Does this seem far-fetched, or like the dream of some deluded science fiction writer? But this could be possible within the next four to five years given the technology that is already available. Now imagine having ample vaccine on hand because suppliers can track what is needed where based on not only current, but also accurate historical data. This is the future that Health and Human Services is pushing towards.

Reprinted with permission from www.hits-inc.us