Funding expires this year, but most RECs will stay open
While funding from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT for Regional Extension Centers (RECs) is set to expire at the end of 2014, most RECs indicate that they do not expect to close their doors, according to a HIMSS survey.
For the study, HIMSS researchers interviewed 39 respondents representing 37 REC organizations from 35 states with at least one respondent from all nine U.S. census regions. Currently 147,000 providers are now enrolled with a REC. Of those, more than 124,000 providers are now live with an EHR and 70,000 have demonstrated Meaningful Use, according to HIMSS.
The report offered the following findings:
- 85 percent of respondents indicated they did not expect to close their doors;
- 28 percent of the 36 executive respondents reported their funding ran out before the end of February 2014;
- About three-quarters (72 percent) had applied for a no-cost extension of their ONC funding;
- Nearly half are creating strategic partnerships with other organizations in their service area;
- Almost half reported that they have received state funding to maintain operations; and
- 92 percent of respondents indicated that they are focused on financial sustainability for their REC.
“According to our results, the survey respondents understand the need for and value of collaborative efforts with other RECS and organizations to support and be part of the services they offer,” said Lisa Gallagher, vice president of technology solutions at HIMSS. “The survey respondents also offer a positive outlook for their REC as they continue to focus on future endeavors.”
Read the report here.