The nation is a-buzz with health care reform, and the buzz has found its way into the healthcare technology industry. A cornerstone element to the Obama administration’s plans for healthcare reform is the national digitization of medical records. Already, the Administration has invested $19 billion dollars in the effort. This task requires the industry expertise of companies specializing in Healthcare Information Technology – companies like Cerner Corp.

Proponents of health care reform claim that the computerized medical records will promote patient safety and will be cost-effective for both hospitals and patients. According to the National Business group on health, 98,000 preventable hospital deaths occur in the U.S. annually, as a result of inadequate Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) systems. At present, health providers use of undeveloped or obsolete HIT systems also cause thousands of preventable medical errors each year. The Institute of Medicine reports that the loss of income, disability and health care costs that thousands of patients then face as a result of these errors can cost up to $29 billion dollars annually.

Support for the digitization of medical records within the health care industry puts Cerner Corp. at an advantage. As a leader in Health Information Technology, company growth is not only anticipated, but inevitable. Since January, health care sector stocks have faired better than the overall broader market. Cerner Corp., traded on the Nasdaq-100 index, is just one company included in the recent health-care services earnings.

Cerner Corp. is welcoming support for its HIT solutions from the technology industry as well. In late 2008, Silicon Valley based Cisco Systems Inc., a publicly traded pioneer in networking and internet solutions, opened an on-site primary care health facility. Cerner Corp. manages the administrative services for the $38 million dollar facility, including maintenance of employee’s electronic health records.

Cerner Corp. is at the cusp of where health care meets technology. Look out for Cerner Corp. in the upcoming days. Q2 2009 earnings are to be released on July 29.