According to the National Health IT Week Web site, last year 200 organizations participated in the special week. President Obama issued an official Proclamation of National Health IT Week and the US Senate passed a Resolution declaring National Health IT Week. This year it celebrates the Seventh Annual National Health IT Week, September 10 through 14.

A collaboration of public and private health care constituents, the week features seminars, site visits, and training to highlight key issues concerning health care IT. It says it works in partnership with these stakeholders to educate industry and drivers of policy on the value of health IT to the US health care system. Some of the benefits of systemwide adoption of health IT include improvement in the quality of health care delivery, increases in patient safety, decreases in medical errors, and a strengthening of the interaction between patients and health care providers.

If you live in Washington, DC, some events are in other states too, you can attend events covering topics such as “Leadership Tips During a Health IT Implementation,” or a visit to a federal community site (complimentary, widely attended, and by invitation) to experience a state-of-the-art facility and interact with clinicians who use health IT every day.

Attending events at National Health IT Week can provide a greater awareness of how health IT can improve the cost and delivery of health care.