Health IT industry hears the transformation starting gun

The health IT's claim it can transform the delivery of health care through technology is about to be put to the test.

Today's e-mail is filled with releases from vendors praising the final meaningful use rules, and promising to deliver for customers. Here's the one from Medsphere. Here's one from NextGen. Pulse Systems can practically smell that sweet, sweet stimulus cash.

Some companies are putting money where their mouths are. HP is offering financing for hospitals and clinics that buy its EHR solutions -- the program is dubbed EHReady. Its channel partners are chomping at the bit, as they used to say in the 20th century.

Getting client gear and networks installed is just part of the solution. There's also the problem of moving those records, securely under the NHIN Connect standards. (That stack has already reached Version 3.0.)

The stimulus is stimulating all that, too, as Verizon has launched a branded Health Information Exchange, which it promises will meet those standards. MedConnect in Virginia is the first customer.

Having a national brand with a national footprint like Verizon in the HIE game is a big turning point. It promises to make connecting to the NHIN more like a real Health Internet, with companies like Verizon acting as ISPs.

Today I am not going to be cynical. Maybe y'all can bring me down.