Funding will pave the way for area providers to receive incentive payments for using electronic systems and exchanging health information electronically to improve health care
Cincinnati, OH, February 12, 2010 – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced that HealthBridge was awarded federal funding to help area physicians transition to electronic health records. The announcement is part of a multi-phased effort by HHS to improve the quality and efficiency of health care by moving the country toward computerized health records.
“HealthBridge has worked with area health care providers for years to expand the use of electronic health information to improve the quality and efficiency of health care,” said HealthBridge CEO Robert Steffel. “We are excited to partner with HHS in this new effort to help as many physicians as possible qualify for federal incentive payments for meaningful use of health information technology.”
The announcement by HHS included more than $750 million in grant awards. The assistance at the state and regional level will facilitate health care providers’ efforts to adopt and use electronic health records (EHRs) in a meaningful manner that has the potential to improve the quality and efficiency of health care for all Americans. Of the over $750 million investment, $386 million will go to 40 states and qualified State Designated Entities (SDEs) to facilitate health information exchange (HIE) at the state level, while $375 million will go to an initial 32 non-profit organizations to support the development of regional extension centers (RECs) that will aid health professionals to implement and use health information technology.
The REC awards are funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which established an incentive program for qualified health care professionals and hospitals to demonstrate “meaningful use” of electronic health records and health information exchange. HealthBridge estimates that meaningful use incentive payments could inject more than $200 million into the tri-state region over the next five years.
HealthBridge’s tri-state application includes partnerships with several leading health IT organizations throughout the region including HealthLINC, Collaborating Communities Health Information Exchange, Northeast Kentucky Regional Health Information Organization, and the University of Kentucky as well as area universities and community colleges and state government organizations.
“We are pleased to partner with HealthBridge to advance the use of electronic health records in Northern Kentucky,” said Elizabeth Regan, Elmer and Donna Smith Endowed Chair in Health Systems Management at Morehead State University and chair of Northeast Kentucky Regional Health Information Organization.
The REC program will offer technical assistance to small physician practices, community health centers and other priority providers. The federal funds do not pay for electronic systems directly but will offer group purchasing arrangements with steep discounts on health IT for physicians.
“We believe our partnership with HealthBridge will help our region to expand rapidly the use of electronic health records and health information exchange,” said Dr. Todd Rowland, Executive Director of HealthLINC, a health information exchange serving central and southern Indiana.
In addition to HealthBridge, the Ohio Health Information Partnership, a public private partnership designated by Governor Strickland to lead Ohio’s statewide health IT efforts, also received more than $50 million. Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services received $9.7 million. Purdue University also received a $12 million REC award for Indiana.
“The Ohio Health Information Partnership (OHIP) is pleased HealthBridge has also been awarded a Regional Extension Center (REC) grant and looks forward to collaborating with this successful organization to ensure all priority providers have access to the consistent and effective HIT resources necessary to improve the quality and safety of health care in Ohio,” said OHIP Board Chair, Amy Andres.
More information on the Regional Extension Center program is available at www.healthit.hhs.gov. Regional Extension Center support is provided by the Office of the National Coordinator, Department of Health and Human Services under cooperative agreement number 90RC0025/01.
________________________________________
HealthBridge is one of the nation’s largest and most financially successful health information exchange organizations. HealthBridge is a not-for-profit corporation founded in 1997 as a community effort to enhance the ability to share health information electronically in the Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky tri-state area.
Due to HealthBridge and its partners’ efforts, the Greater Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky region has become the most advanced region in the country for using electronic health information and connectivity to improve the quality and efficiency of health care. Each month 3 million clinical lab tests, radiology reports, and other clinical messages are transmitted to authorized physicians through HealthBridge’s secure electronic network, more than nearly any other community health information exchange in the country. HealthBridge also works collaboratively with several other health information exchanges to assist them with technology and business operations. For more information about HealthBridge, see www.healthbridge.org.
Tags: HealthBridge, HHS, REC
