HITECH Health Information
Technology for Economic and Clinical Health
Included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act which was signed into law on February 17, 2009
was 19.2 billion to incentivize hospitals and
physicians to implement and increase the use of
Electronic Health Records (EHR). This section of the
stimulus bill (ARRA) is referred to as the Health
Information Technology for Economic and Clinical
Health or the HITECH Act. Title XIII of Division A,
pages 112 through 165 and Title IV in Division B
pages 353 through 398 outlines the HITECH section of
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
To access the HITECH act
click here
HITECH provides the following fund allocations:
-
18 billion payable through
Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement systems via
incentives for hospitals and physicians who are
“meaningful users” of EHR systems.
-
$2 billion to the Office of the
National Coordinator for implementation of the
necessary infrastructure to allow for, and
promote, the electronic exchange and use of
health information for each individual in the
United States. In addition, updating the
Department of Health & Human Services’
technologies for the electronic flow of
information; the integration of health IT
education into the training programs for
healthcare professionals; and the promotion of
interoperable clinical data repositories.
-
$1 billion for renovation and
repair of health centers and for the acquisition
of health IT systems in those centers.
-
$550 million for equipment and
services in health IT for Indian Health Service
facilities.
-
$400 million for research on how
the use of electronic data impacts healthcare
treatments and strategies.
-
$300 million for the support of
regional and state efforts towards health
information exchange.
-
40 million for the Social
Security Administration to use EHRs to submit
disability claims
What Else Does HITECH Do?
The HITECH Act also provides for the
collaboration, assistance and technical support
needed by providers. These provisions will allow for
the coordination, alignment and interoperability of
HIT systems and information within and across
states. HITECH will promote the establishment of
connectivity to the public health community and the
implementation of programs to ensure workforce
readiness. This will be accomplished through the
provision of proper training which will ensure that
workforce members are ready to become meaningful
users of EHR’s. The following programs have been
funded through HITECH to accomplish these goals:
-
Beacon Community Programs
-
State Health Information
Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program
-
Health Information Technology
Extension Program
-
Strategic Health IT advance
Research Projects (SHARP) Program
-
Community College Consortia to
Educate Health Information Technology
Professionals Program
-
Curriculum Development Centers
Program
-
Program of Assistance for
University – Based Training
-
Competency Examination for
Individuals Completing Non -Degree Training
Programs
To find out more information about
the above programs
click here.
