The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding a total of $998 million in stimulus fund grants, marking what Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, calls a “major milestone” in the journey toward nationwide adoption and meaningful use of health IT.
According to HHS, $386 million is being awarded to 40 states and qualified state-designated entities to establish the health information exchange (HIE) programs. The other awards will provide $375 million to create 32 Regional Extension Centers (RECs) designed to support the efforts of health professionals, starting with priority primary care providers, to become meaningful users of EHRs, it says.
Additional awards will be made in both programs over the coming weeks.
