Joseph H Kanter - Your life, your health : share your health data electronically-- it may save your life

2012 Joseph H. Kanter. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
Published by Book Masters 6/11/2012

ISBN: 978-0-9856362-0-3

ISBN: 978-0-9856362-1-0

ISBN: 978-0-9856362-2-7

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012904124

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The information, ideas, and suggestions in this book are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Before following any suggestions contained in this book, you should consult your personal physician. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising as a consequence of your use or application of any information or suggestions in this book. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

NOTE ON PHOTOS/GRA PHIC SOURCES:

All photographs utilized in this book are taken from images utilized in the Kanter Family Foundation Outcomes Research brochure (http://kanterhealth.org/Research/Outcomes_Research_Brochure.pdf), from pictures available in the public domain, or from digital photographs sent to the Kanter Family Foundation for use in this book by the individual depicted.

Its one of those rare public policy issues in which there simply is not a valid and sustainable argument in opposition to the proposal. [Joe Kanters vision] is so simple, so logical, and will be so powerful in its implementation that it boggles the mind our society has not done this before now.

Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME)

Anyone who says, one man cant make a difference, hasnt met Joe Kanter.

Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-KS), a prostate cancer survivor

[Joe Kanter] is indefatigable in his determination to assure that all health care stakeholders (and that is everyone, after all!) become empowered in a health system that can learn from real-world patient experiences in a real-time way. His vision for such a system pre-dated most interested parties conversations about the structure of such a system by many years.

Mary Woolley, President of Research!America

I want to commend Joe Kanter I think youve captured the [twenty-first century] version of Power to Patients. And, patients must use their power to help themselves and thereby to improve the nations health care system. The old adage is certainly true information is power.

William Novelli, Former CEO of AARP

Joe, youve given us all a benchmark for persistence and vision. Were living the life of Joe Kanters vision.

David Brailer, MD, PhD, the United States First National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Joe You are the visionary who first saw this potential. Thanks for sticking with it and nudging the players to this stage. Karen.

Karen Davis, PhD, President of the Commonwealth Fund

The [Joseph H.] Kanter Prize recognizes the true calling of medicine to deliver health care to those in need. This is both the greatest privilege and highest obligation of a physician. Exceptional individuals who are highly dedicated to this mission in their practice deserve the recognition and admiration of our profession and our society.

Alan Leff, MD, Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, Anesthesiology and Critical Care, and Pharmacology and Physiology at The University of Chicago

Joes interest in this arena was stimulated by early work on shared decision making. This pioneering work by Jack Wennberg and his colleagues was inspired by the radical idea that when there are two or more options, the penultimate decision maker must be the patient. The National Health Outcomes [Research] Data Sharing Network could be an important tool for patients to use in collaboration with their physicians to make informed decisions about their health care. Such shared decision making will revolutionize the practice of medicine and the delivery of health care services. We have an unprecedented opportunity to improve the health of all Americans.

Carolyn Clancy, MD, Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)

More than two centuries ago, President Thomas Jefferson recognized that, Information is the currency of democracy. In 2004 President George W. Bush saw the value of electronic health records, setting a goal of having most Americans records digitized by 2014. In 2009 President Barack Obama built upon this vision, signing into law the HITECH Act allocating more than $30 billion in federal recovery act funding for health information technology. More than a decade before Presidents Bush or Obama acted, inspired by his own experiences as a patient, Joe Kanter envisioned something much bigger a vision for a health system that empowers researchers, clinicians, and especially patients by leveraging the power of anonymized electronic health records to learn from the collective real-world experiences of millions of patients. With determination and perseverance reminiscent of President Abraham Lincoln, Joe has been working tirelessly for almost two decades to effectuate his inspiring and transformative vision. Thats why I volunteered for his foundation for more than a year, and ultimately accepted Joes invitation to be Executive Director of the Joseph H. Kanter Family Foundation; I now spend every day working to transform Joes vision into a reality that will improve the health of millions of Americans Joes health legacy.

Joshua C. Rubin, JD, MBA, MPH, MPP, Executive Director of the Joseph H. Kanter Family Foundation

The difference between historys boldest accomplishments and its
most staggering failures is often, simply, the diligent will to persevere.

Abraham Lincoln

Sixteenth President of the United States of America

Appendix: Your Life, Your Health
Theres No App for That Yet