SAN DIEGO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger used a visit to wireless giant Qualcomm on Wednesday to tout an information technology system he said he wants to see used in hospitals, doctors' offices and pharmacies across the state.

The health information system is one of the cornerstones of the comprehensive health care reforms presented by Schwarzenegger in January. Those overall plans include a requirement that all Californians have health insurance.

The health information technology proposal includes: prescriptions sent by e-mail to pharmacies, an electronic medical records system and an expansion of broadband technologies to support electronic medical consultations.

To reach his overall health care reform and insurance goals, Schwarzenegger has proposed that the costs be shared by hospitals, doctors, employers and employees. Low-income workers would receive insurance at reduced prices. The governor has said that the improved efficiency resulting from the changes would ultimately reduce costs for everyone involved and the reforms would pay for themselves.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt lent his support to the governor at Wednesday's meeting, commending what he called Schwarzenegger's "bold leadership" in health care reform. Leavitt said the federal government plans on contributing $3.4 billion of the $3.7 billion in federal money requested by Schwarzenegger to help pay the estimated $12 billion annual cost of the health care reforms.

Schwarzenegger said he welcomed the news.

"We couldn't do our reforms if the federal government were not helping us," he said. "This gets us one step closer."

Schwarzenegger said health information technology reduces medical errors, improves patient care and keeps medical costs in check. With the system in place across the state, doctors, hospitals and pharmacies would have instant access to updated information on each patient.

"It will definitely bring a lot of efficiency to the whole process," Schwarzenegger said. "One of the biggest complaints I hear from pharmacists is they can't read the writing (on prescriptions) - this will eliminate that."

Shortly after the governor first presented his health care reform package in January, the state Legislative Analyst's Office said that the plan would be nearly $3.2 billion out of balance, money that would come out of taxpayers' pockets. Officials with the governor's office contested that analysis at the time.

Schwarzenegger also toured Qualcomm's facilities with Secretary Leavitt to watch several demonstrations of wireless technologies being used by health care providers to monitor patients and remotely transmit health data, according to a pool reporter.

One mobile system allows stroke specialists at UC San Diego to consult with doctors at other hospitals on emergency stroke cases even if the specialist is traveling. Such consultation can be critical to minimizing injuries suffered by a patient, said Dr. Brett Meyer, co-director of the UCSD School of Medicine Stroke Center.

"They call me and in 20 seconds I'm taking care of the patient," Meyer said.

- Contact staff writer William Finn Bennett at (760) 740-5426 or wbennett@nctimes.com.