Northern Illinois University’s Division of Administration and University Outreach has received a grant for slightly more than $7.5 million, spread over two years, from the Department of Health and Human Services to create a Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center.
The HIT Regional Extension Centers were established as part of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, (Title IV in Division B of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) authorizing financial incentives to Medicare and Medicaid providers’ who achieve meaningful use of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology and are funded through as award from the Office of the National Coordinator, Department of Health and Human Services (Grant 90RC0023/01). The purpose of the Regional Extension Centers (REC) is to provide education, outreach, and technical assistance to priority primary care providers in their region to assist them in selecting, successfully implementing, and achieving meaningful use of certified EHR products.
News Release February 18, 2010 (pdf)
Organizations involved in IL-HITEC have a longstanding history of collaborations and partnerships toward addressing issues in health and electronic health records and involvement in early adoption of EHR, assistance with implementation, as well as state and national involvement in the development of ongoing standards and use.
Members of IL-HITEC are leading Health Information Exchange (HIE) planning efforts, funded by the Illinois Department of Health Care and Family Services, in 9 of the 16 Medical Trading Areas in the state of Illinois. Additionally, IL-HITEC has secured the commitment of the Illinois Academy of Family Practitioners and the Illinois State Medical Society to garner participation with priority primary care providers and has received similar commitments from small and large physician groups, hospitals, community health centers, and other related organizations.
The Illinois Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center is headquartered at Northern Illinois University with John Lewis, Ph.D. serving as the REC Director. The IL-HITREC has four satellite offices throughout the state, one at Northern Illinois University with Roger Holloway serving as the Satellite Office Director and additional satellite offices in suburban Chicago, Peoria, and Sauget.
For more information visit our website at www.ILHITREC.org.