Senators seek GAO review of federal HIE program

Three senators want to know what happened to the nearly $600 million doled out to several health information exchanges (HIEs) between 2010 and 2014.

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Sens. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.) have asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT's health data exchange program.

Tennessee's HIE received $11.6 million in federal grants but dissolved in 2012. And, Connecticut's HIE received $4.3 million over four years but closed down last year.

Researchers have raised questions about several other HIEs.

 

Beth Walsh,

Editor

Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.

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