Before the economy took a nosedive, there was one key issue on all U.S. voters' minds: healthcare. While both presidential candidates held similar positions on the importance of getting Americans' healthcare records online and accessible, with Barack Obama's win, that vision may now be on the fast track to reality. That's why Consulting sat down with Jim Lewis, one of four founders of Cumberland Consulting, which specializes in the healthcare technology implementation space. The firm has seen aggressive growth in its five years; it now has about 50 consultants on its team and is going head to head with the likes of First, Accenture and IBM Global Business Services. Consulting's Managing Editor, Jacqueline Durett, spoke with Lewis about his firm's role in the healthcare technology space, specifically electronic medical records (EMR) and the implications of the election.
How does the election affect your work now?
Lewis: Both candidates had very aggressive plans as it relates to the future of healthcare. There are going to be a number of things that our customers are going to need to react to [now]. We're going to be in a situation in which the implementation of technology and efficiency improvements in the healthcare business are going to be called for more than ever. There's a real solid consumer demand out there for improvements and efficiency in healthcare delivery.
Has there been much political support for EMR specifically?
Lewis: Both candidates advocated beneficial change for consumers through IT solutions to drive efficiency and quality improvements in the delivery of healthcare.
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