EMR Implementation & HITECH Act Blog

Massachusetts Receives $24 Million in HIT Funding

Massachusetts, long a leader in the delivery of quality medical care to its citizens, has just received more than $24 million from the federal government to speed the adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs) throughout the Commonwealth.

According to a report in govmonitor .com, the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) has authorized the release of the $24 million, the maximum that Massachusetts is entitled to under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.   According to the report, $13.4 million will go to support the adoption of EMRs throughout the Commonwealth, and another $1.6 million will go toward creating a statewide high-speed communications system for medical data and records.

According to Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, “This federal funding will help reduce health care costs and improve patient care using proven technologies, many of which are developed right here in Massachusetts.” Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray added that in addition to streamlining health care, the money would help create jobs.

The grants, given in furtherance of the adoption of EMRs, will be administered by the Massachusetts e-Health Institute, the state agency created for that purpose.  One if its key goals, according to an article in MassHighTech.com, will be to ensure the privacy of all medical records in the state.

Couple the release of this funding with recent news that meaningful use has finally been defined and that ONC is taking definitive steps to develop a certification, and it looks like providers in Massachusetts are finally getting the tools they need to fully implement EMRs.

Rich Silverman
PC HealthStop Blogging Team

Public Domain Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Posted by PC Healthstop Blogging Team