Health care reform and the new economy

The objectives and assumptions of health care reform have changed repeatedl y during the past century and may now be entering a new historical phase as a result of the "new economy" rooted in information technology. In a high- growth context, proponents of reform may no longer feel obliged to bundle e xpanded coverage with tighter cost containment. At the same time, the new d igital environment may facilitate innovations intended to inform and expand consumer choice and to improve quality. The new environment elevates "tran sparency" to a guiding principle. Health informatics has long been peripher al to reform and must now become more central.