IT Execs Back Cuomo's Funding for Statewide Health Records System

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal in his executive budget to spend $65 million on a statewide health information network is garnering support, unsurprisingly, from a number of local health IT companies.

In a letter to the governor today, 33 executives and investors offered their backing for the Statewide Health Information Network of New York, or SHIN-NY, which would connect 10 regional hubs that already share patients’ electronic health records. “By funding the SHIN-NY, New York has the opportunity to lead the nation as the first large state to implement a statewide health information exchange that is not tethered to specific healthcare providers,” reads the letter, which also touts the initiative’s potential for high-tech job growth.

Such systems can make it easier for patients who have to visit several doctors or specialists. The shift to digital health records has drawn concerns about privacy and potential security breaches, although supporters note that the statewide network would by overseen by the state Health Department and subject to federal and state security standards.