The road to EHR interoperability has been a long one, and doctors still have not reached their destination. For the medical industry to truly be connected, all forms of health care providers need to be working toward the same goal. However, until recently, incentive programs for Meaningful Use have only included larger, more organized groups. With the announcement from Karen DeSalvo, M.D., MPH, M.Sc., the national coordinator for health information technology, at the HIMSS annual conference, those who had been excluded from MU now have a program of their own.
Increasing interoperability
Local organizations already work to improve health initiatives in their communities through access to technology. However, the new Community Interoperability and Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program Funding Opportunity Announcement will expand upon those efforts, HealthIT.gov explained.
Starting this year, 10 non-eligible providers will receive grants worth $100,000 each, totally $1 million. The program will strive for the same goals that MU does, except on a smaller scale. To be considered, applicants must propose methods to expand upon existing HIE services or come up with new ones that will encourage data sharing among community health organizations, as stated on the source. Updates to EHR software, patient portals or EMR software are especially welcome.
"The flow of health information across the entire care continuum is a critical step to realizing a learning health system that results in not only better care, but healthier people and communities," DeSalvo said in a press release. "The new Community Interoperability and HIE Program will fund local efforts that will leverage health IT in support of a more comprehensive digital data picture of health for people and their communities."
Opening doors for community groups
The Community Interoperability and HIE Program will provide financial assistance to organizations that are not eligible under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' MU guidelines. This includes, but is not limited to, long-term and post-acute care providers, behavioral professionals and individuals and their caregivers, according to the announcement. Those who must implement MU, either through Medicare or Medicaid, such as dentists, nurse practitioners and doctors of medicine, are not eligible to participate in the new program.
According to HealthIT.gov, all applicants to the Community Interoperability and HIE Program must be U.S.-based non-profit institutions or organizations, state or local governments or neighborhood agencies or groups. This could also include safety net providers, social services and emergency care.
There will be an informational webinar on May 6 and applications for the Community Interoperability and HIE Program are due by June 15. The Office of the National Coordinator hopes to reveal grant winners by August 14.
Contact Viztek for more information.
Ronny Bachrach
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