Health information technology: how we got where we are.

Consultant and senior care pharmacists probably have already encountered some sort of health information technology (HIT) system in one or more of the facilities they service, whether it is an electronic medication administration record or some version of an electronic health record (EHR). This article will address national HIT initiatives and the role of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists in HIT activities, HIT adoption statistics in the long-term and postacute care settings, certification of EHR systems, the use of standards in exchanging information between settings and health care providers, and the role of consultant pharmacists and long-term care pharmacies in implementation of HIT.