Good afternoon Mr. Chairman, Congressman Herger, and members of the subcommittee. My name is
Christine Bechtel and I am Vice President of the National Partnership for Women & Families. Just over a
year ago, I was also appointed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to serve as a consumer
representative on the Health IT Policy Committee.
The National Partnership is a non-profit, non-partisan consumer organization with almost 40 years of
experience working to make life better for women and families by promoting access to quality health
care, fairness in the workplace and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and
family. As you know, health care is central to the well-being of women and families — it is a key
determinant of their quality of life, their economic security, and their ability to thrive, prosper and
participate in our society.
We are privileged to lead two important coalitions of consumer organizations dedicated to changing the
way health care is organized, financed and delivered. The Consumer Partnership for eHealth (CPeH) and
the Campaign for Better Care together include more than 150 consumer and patient groups working to
ensure that implementation of both the HITECH Act and the health reform law result in better quality,
more patient-centered care, fewer disparities and better outcomes for everyone.
Health information technology (IT) plays a critical role in achieving these goals, and I am honored to be
with you today to discuss the ways that the Meaningful Use of information technology will benefit
patients and their families. […]
