More than half of the primary care providers in the State of New Hampshire have attested to meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs) thanks to the work of area’s regional extension center.
The Regional Extension Center of New Hampshire (RECNH) says more than 65 percent the State’s primary care providers and 85 percent of its critical access hospitals (CAHs) have attested to meaningful use of EHRs, in accordance with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH). RECNH says it is second in the nation for EHR attestation among the nation’s 62 Regional Extension Centers (REC).
“While many provider organizations have raised concerns regarding the feasibility and practicality of adopting EHRs, citing cost constraints and implementation difficulties, these achievements demonstrate significant progress. As a country, we’ve taken great strides in such a short period of time to truly transform our healthcare system,” Micky Tripathi, CEO and President, Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative (MAeHC) said in a statement. “These milestones are a testament to the work we’re doing collectively to improve healthcare delivery across the U.S. and to encourage an overall healthier population. We’re thrilled that our work in New Hampshire has helped the state become a leader in EHR adoption and Meaningful Use attestation, and we’re looking forward to continuing on this path toward improved care coordination.”
RECNH was launched by MAeHC in 2010, with the support of a $6.9 million federal award. The organization works with CAHs as well as public hospitals giving them management, technical assistance, and strategic guidance. It’s also roll over a portion of the grant money to the organizations directly.
