November 4, 2011 - The federal government is investing billions of dollars to encourage hospitals and health care providers to adopt health information technology so that all Americans can benefit from the use of electronic health records by 2014. However, concerns about potential harm are emerging as providers increasingly rely on electronic medical records, secure patient portals, and other information technologies to deliver care. 'HEALTH IT AND PATIENT SAFETY: BUILDING SAFER SYSTEMS FOR

BETTER CARE,' a new report from the Institute of Medicine, examines a broad range of these technologies and recommends actions that the government, health care providers, and technology vendors should take to improve patient safety.

Members from the committee that wrote the report will discuss their recommendations and take questions at a one-hour public briefing starting at 10:30 a.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 10, in Room 100 of the National Academies' Keck Center, 500 5th St. N.W., Washington, D.C.