The Office of the National Coordinator has approved a $6.6 million grant to Maine to expand and implement healthcare information technology in the state, according to a Healthcare IT News report.
HealthInfoNet, which is Maine's health information exchange, will use approximately $4.4 million to deploy the network throughout the state and include more healthcare providers in the HIE. The HIE currently connects six healthcare organizations, including Eastern Maine Health Systems in Brewer, Maine, and Central Maine Healthcare in Lewiston, Maine. HealthInfoNet currently has 780,000 Maine residents in the network's repository and has a goal to have all 30 hospitals in Maine and 80 percent of ambulatory care providers connected by 2014, according to the report. Shaun Alfred, COO of HealthInfoNet, said in the report the network will still need additional funding and will charge healthcare providers a subscription fee for using the HIE.
HealthInfoNet also received a separate $4.7 million grant from the ONC to serve as the Regional Extension Center for Maine, helping 1,000 primary care physicians across the state achieve meaningful use of electronic medical records.
Read the Healthcare IT News report about Maine's grant approval.
Read other coverage on healthcare information technology:
- Guidance on Better Merging Physician Work Flow With EMRs: Q&A With Phyllis Teater, CIO of Ohio State University Medical Center
- Only 2% of Hospitals Can Meet New Federal EMR Standards
- VA Medical Center and Indiana Health Information Exchange Partner on Electronic Health Data Exchange Pilot
HealthInfoNet, which is Maine's health information exchange, will use approximately $4.4 million to deploy the network throughout the state and include more healthcare providers in the HIE. The HIE currently connects six healthcare organizations, including Eastern Maine Health Systems in Brewer, Maine, and Central Maine Healthcare in Lewiston, Maine. HealthInfoNet currently has 780,000 Maine residents in the network's repository and has a goal to have all 30 hospitals in Maine and 80 percent of ambulatory care providers connected by 2014, according to the report. Shaun Alfred, COO of HealthInfoNet, said in the report the network will still need additional funding and will charge healthcare providers a subscription fee for using the HIE.
HealthInfoNet also received a separate $4.7 million grant from the ONC to serve as the Regional Extension Center for Maine, helping 1,000 primary care physicians across the state achieve meaningful use of electronic medical records.
Read the Healthcare IT News report about Maine's grant approval.
Read other coverage on healthcare information technology:
- Guidance on Better Merging Physician Work Flow With EMRs: Q&A With Phyllis Teater, CIO of Ohio State University Medical Center
- Only 2% of Hospitals Can Meet New Federal EMR Standards
- VA Medical Center and Indiana Health Information Exchange Partner on Electronic Health Data Exchange Pilot