"It is a very responsive set of [measures]," Glaser said. "I do believe this is a remarkable moment. I have never seen a change as significant as what we are about to experience after this legislation passes, which is presumably by the end of this month."

Laura Adams, a board member of the National eHealth Collaborative and CEO of the Rhode Island Quality Institute, pointed out that 60% of Medicare payments go for things such as the treatment of complications from diabetes, rather than to preventing the disease itself. The collaborative is a public-private group working to create digital health care information and share it securely.

Adams said that building the new EHR system on top of the current "crippled medical payment system" will be "absolutely toxic" to success. "My God. I hope we don't have our current payment system in the years to come," said Adams.

The Rhode Island Quality Institute is a non-profit organization made up by health care providers, insurers, academics and government organizations.

After the panel session, Adams explained that "doctors who have the best outcomes are paid the same as doctors with the worst outcomes," with hospitals and caregivers that provide poor care often rewarded with additional money for avoidable follow-up patient treatment.