Standardizing health records

In addition to providing funds, federal officials will develop interoperability standards and minimal product certifications to help guide the health care industry during the creation of a national information technology infrastructure for the exchange of electronic health records.

David Brailer, a California physician whom President Bush appointed in early May as the nation's first health IT coordinator, said last week there is little information to help physicians, group medical practices and other government agencies know what products to buy for interoperability capabilities and standards compliance.

"And there are a variety of initiatives in trying to set kind of a floor