IN the coming months, some of the first West Virginia health careproviders will start to receive federal financial payments to helpcover the costs of implementing electronic health record systems.
These incentive payments, which can be substantial for eligiblehospitals, rural clinics and physician practices, were included aspart of the 2008 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
The act authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Servicesto provide this electronic heal record reimbursement incentive foreligible Medicare and Medicaid providers - physicians and hospitals.
The first eligible providers in West Virginia to get thesepayments will do so because they have been using a certified systemand have met the program's new 'meaningful use' requirements.
This will be a significant milestone in the federal government'songoing efforts to encourage health care providers across thisnation to move toward a digital medical environment.
To further assist with implementation of electronic health recordsystems, and to aid providers in qualifying for these federalincentive payments, the act also provided funding to establishhealth information technology resource centers across the UnitedStates. Here in West Virginia, this is the West Virginia RegionalHealth Information Technology Extension Center.
The West Virginia center has been working for the past year as astatewide, independent resource center for primary care providers,rural health centers and critical access hospitals.
The center is helping these providers with certified healthinformation technology and achieving health improvement outcomesthrough 'meaningful use.'
The center involves a collaboration of several stateorganizations focused on improving health care quality and access.Key partners are the West Virginia Health Improvement Institute, theWest Virginia Medical Institute, the Community Health Network ofWest Virginia and the Upper Ohio Valley IPA.
The center's efforts to reach medical providers also haveinvolved close collaboration with numerous state agencies, healthcare groups, medical professional societies and other entities - allworking to improve health care through innovation.
The consistent, nationwide adoption and use of secure electronichealth records will ultimately enhance the quality and value ofhealth care. The center's outreach, education and technicalassistance services will accelerate these outcomes.
Greater use of electronic health record systems and other healthinformation technologies also will make it possible for health careproviders to better manage patient care through the secure use andsharing of health information. Health IT includes the use ofelectronic health records instead of paper medical records tomaintain people's health information.
Electronic records will provide a number of benefits to patientsand their families:
* Reduced need to fill out the same forms at each office visit.
* Reliable point-of-care information and reminders notifyingproviders of important health interventions.
* Benefits of managing digital medical record data vs. paper.
* Convenience of e-prescriptions
* Patient portals for online interaction with providers.
* Electronic referrals for easier access to follow-up care withspecialists.
* Facilitation of electronic health exchange no matter where youare
* With the help of health information technologies, doctors willhave:
* Accurate and complete information about a patient's health.That way they can give the best possible care, whether during aroutine visit or a medical emergency.
* The ability to better coordinate the care they give. This isespecially important if a patient has a serious medical condition.
* A way to securely share information with patients and theirfamily caregivers over the Internet, for patients who opt for thisconvenience. This means patients and their families can more fullytake part in decisions about their health care.
* Information to help doctors diagnose health problems sooner,reduce medical errors, and provide safer care at lower costs.
Regional extension centers also will help providers achieve,through appropriate available infrastructures, exchange of healthinformation in compliance with applicable statutory and regulatoryrequirements and patient preferences.
The center will be working with the West Virginia HealthInformation Network.
Finally, this initiative will leverage the ongoing work tointegrate the medical home model activities already underway in WestVirginia. These aim to transform our state's health care deliverysystem and substantially improve the health of our rural population,which has a high prevalence of chronic disease, lack of access tocare, and high health care costs.
For more information about federal electronic health recordstimulus payments or the West Virginia Regional Health InformationTechnology Extension Center, please visit www.wvrhitec.org orrequest information by calling 1-877-775-7535.
Edwards is director of the West Virginia Regional HealthInformation Technology Extension Center.
