Second Blumenthal Letter: Grants Program Rollout
News on Next Steps Toward Nationwide Health Information Exchange
August 20, 2009
A Message from Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology:

Today’s announcement from the White House regarding the rollout of the first two in a series of HITECH priority grant programs represents a critical step forward in laying the groundwork for meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs). These programs will offer valuable help to health care providers in the selection and incorporation of EHRs into clinical practice, and for States and their designates to assure that statewide information exchange is developed with an eye toward nationwide connectivity across the health care system.   See full letter.

Blumenthal’s letter goes on to describe
1. Health Information Technology Extension program funding “dozens” of centers across the country to give technical assistance to physicians and hospitals, along with a national Health Information Technology Research Center (HITRC) to coordinate best practices among the regional centers, and
2. State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement program to encourage and guide health information exchange among States and Qualified State Designated Entities (SDEs) and on a national level.

See Overview: ONC Releases Grants Program Details

DETAILS
1. Health Information Technology Regional Extension
Tune in to  August 27, 2009 Webcast from ONC on this program.
http://healthit.hhs.gov/extensionprogram
–Funding Opportunity Announcement: Health Information Technology Extension Program: Regional Centers  Cooperative Agreement Program
                    Attachment 1
–Facts-At-A-Glance [PDF]

2. State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program
–Funding Opportunity Announcement: State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program
–Facts-At-A-Glance  [PDF]

Additional Articles on Blumenthal’s Action-Packed 24+ Hours on August 19-20, 2009
Healthcare IT News’s Bernie Monegain reports on August 21, 2009 on HIT “from dawn to dusk.”
Washington Post’s Robert O’Harrow, Jr. report on  August 21, 2009 headlined “U.S. to Dole out $1.2 Billion for Health Records Technology” describes the announced grants as the “first wave of funding under a health-care reform plan to create vast records-sharing networks aimed at cutting costs and improving care in the coming decade.” In addition to quoting Vice President Joe Biden’s announcement, O’Harrow interviewed H. Stephen Lieber, the president and chief executive of HIMSS, and Carol Diamond, managing director of health at the nonprofit Markle Foundation.
Government HealthIT’s Mary Mosquera reported additional details from a teleconference Blumenthal held with media on August 20, 2009, “The regional centers will support at least 100,000 mostly small, and primary care practices through participating non-profit organizations, HHS said in its description of the grants.”