The good doctor has hardly been in office long enough to make a dent yet, but hopefully the Senate Finance Committee will be open ears rather than continuing to venture on what we have seen in the news with the “witch-hunt” tactics that have been reported. I really get spooked and fearful as to whether or not there are 
listeners here and think we are in for some additional “press entertainment” instead of working together. I relate back to the stimulus testimonies for healthcare back in 2009 and my memories of watching their own video was not good. I see since that time it has been removed, and this was the Finance committee’s own video.
None of them knew what a personal health record was and you could see by the testimonies of Microsoft and Kaiser Permanente and the level of questions asked that they were just not read up and up to date at all, and PHRs are for everyone as this part was healthcare consumer IT knowledge and use. So much for being a participant I said as I saw jus the opposite. You can read my short review at the link below on what I saw then and I certainly hope we have grown a bit since then.
Investing in Health IT: US Senate Testimonies
We have never learned as a whole how to really collaborate well and sure there’s room for competition but when you look at costs today and so many similar IT projects competing in health we could benefit from collaboration here.
Innovation Without Collaboration Is Fouling Up The US Healthcare IT 
System–We Need Both As We Can’t Stand on Innovation Alone
I think if we can give him a chance and listen perhaps there might be something to gain here, again the Senate should not expect miracles in a short amount of time and hopefully can get over their hurt feelings or whatever it is prohibiting them from listening.
Head of CMS, Don Berwick Urges Health Insurance Companies to Cooperate to Reinstate “Trust”–Role Models Needed At All Levels of Leadership With Engaging Health IT
I worry about this being a witch hunt when I see items like Grassley investigating his background on items that have already been disclosed and that are public knowledge and have a tendency to waste everyone’s time, he should get an Algo Man on staff.
Dr. Berwick Gets a Letter Today From Senator Grassley – Healthcare and Health IT Literacy Out Shadowed Again with 8 Track Tapes?
I also hope that the Senator realizes that Medicare is contracted out so heavily to WellPoint to provide functionality for Medicare via contracts that this is where some of the issues lie too when questioning CMS on issues, we don’t have all out own IT infrastructure there and we are back to the insurers once more in many areas.
Grassley Investigating Medicare Contractor Conflicts of Interest–Some Are Owned by Subsidiaries of Health Insurance Companies- Will That Do It? Get An “Algo Man” For Help
There are citizens out there perhaps like me that are looking at the entire picture here rather than just another political “chicken” fight for the news and one more OMG story in the news. BD
Medicare Administrator Donald Berwick will face critics of President Barack Obama’s health- care overhaul next week, his first appearance before Congress since he was appointed in a process that bypassed the Senate.
Berwick will testify at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Medicare, the health insurance program for the elderly and disabled, and the Medicaid program for the poor, the panel said today in a statement. Republicans such as the panel’s ranking member, Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, for months have said they want to question Berwick on the health-care law.
Medicare Chief Berwick to Make First Appearance Before Congress Next Week - Bloomberg
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