R.I. considers regional health IT extension center
PROVIDENCE, R.I.--Creating a regional health IT extension center in Rhode Island will require input and effort from all areas of clinical IT expertise, according to Laura Adams, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI).
At a June 4 meeting of the Clinical IT Leadership Committee (CITLC) in Providence R.I., Adams spoke to members regarding the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT's proposed plan to award contracts to establish regional health IT extension centers. She said that there seems to be concern over whether or not centers that are established can succeed or not--and "a good many will not," she said.
The ONC has specified that each regional center that is established should "provide technical assistance and disseminate best practices and other information learned from the center to support and accelerate efforts to adopt, implement and effectively utilize health IT."
The CITLC is a group of physician leaders that is working on addressing barriers regarding clinician adoption of EHRs across the state and will be providing input to the RIQI Board about financial incentives to promote adoption.
Many in the health IT industry are concerned that the amount of funding available--approximately $1 million to $2 million for each center with a maximum award of $10 million--is not enough to warrant the job description: to conduct deadline assessments regarding physician EHR adoption, help with implementation and assist in getting physicians to become meaningful users.
In addition, uncertainty was expressed regarding the definition of the term "regional center."
Adams asked: "Is that all of New England or the Eastern seaboard?"
ONC has since stated that it is left to the organizing body to determine how a region will be defined. However, she noted that there can only be one center per region.
There was consensus that Rhode Island has been presented with the opportunity to create a consortium of people to address the establishment of a regional health IT extension center, and Adams stressed the importance of it being a collaborative effort.
"This is going to require some creative thought on how it can be quickly scaled up--and scaled back--it is not about starting from scratch," she said.
At a June 4 meeting of the Clinical IT Leadership Committee (CITLC) in Providence R.I., Adams spoke to members regarding the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT's proposed plan to award contracts to establish regional health IT extension centers. She said that there seems to be concern over whether or not centers that are established can succeed or not--and "a good many will not," she said.
The ONC has specified that each regional center that is established should "provide technical assistance and disseminate best practices and other information learned from the center to support and accelerate efforts to adopt, implement and effectively utilize health IT."
The CITLC is a group of physician leaders that is working on addressing barriers regarding clinician adoption of EHRs across the state and will be providing input to the RIQI Board about financial incentives to promote adoption.
Many in the health IT industry are concerned that the amount of funding available--approximately $1 million to $2 million for each center with a maximum award of $10 million--is not enough to warrant the job description: to conduct deadline assessments regarding physician EHR adoption, help with implementation and assist in getting physicians to become meaningful users.
In addition, uncertainty was expressed regarding the definition of the term "regional center."
Adams asked: "Is that all of New England or the Eastern seaboard?"
ONC has since stated that it is left to the organizing body to determine how a region will be defined. However, she noted that there can only be one center per region.
There was consensus that Rhode Island has been presented with the opportunity to create a consortium of people to address the establishment of a regional health IT extension center, and Adams stressed the importance of it being a collaborative effort.
"This is going to require some creative thought on how it can be quickly scaled up--and scaled back--it is not about starting from scratch," she said.