America’s healthcare system is being transformed by the increasing use of information technology, as has largely already occurred across other industries as part of the 21st century phase of the “Information Revolution.” Healthcare delivery is also being actively re-engineered by purchasers, policy makers, and consumers who are dissatisfied with the functions of and results produced by the healthcare marketplace. A number of factors are converging to drive this major systematic change in healthcare. First, extreme healthcare spending burdens have led purchasers to demand new payment incentives, accountability, and adoption of information technologies. At the same time, a number of prominent researchers have reported that Americans receive an average of only about 55 percent of recommended care and that medical errors lead up to 98,000 deaths annually, signaling an ongoing quality crisis in the healthcare industry (Asch). In addition,the recent explosion of health information availability has created a generation of newly empowered consumers.signaling an ongoing quality crisis in the healthcare industry (Asch). In addition, the recent explosion of health information availability has created a generation of newly empowered consumers.