Last week, the New York eHealth Collaborative Regional Extension Center announced that it is the first REC in the country to help more than 1,000 health care providers qualify for meaningful use incentive payments, Modern Healthcare reports (Lee, Modern Healthcare, 6/29).
About RECs
Under the 2009 economic stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic health record systems can qualify for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has tasked the nation's 62 RECs with helping 100,000 health care providers meet meaningful use criteria. RECs provide services such as:
- Assessments on workflow and practice patterns;
- Assistance with EHR implementation;
- EHR training and best practices; and
- Guidance on meaningful use attestation (iHealthBeat, 6/25).
Details on NYeC's Announcement
NYeC stands to receive additional federal financial support as a result of reaching the milestone, according to EHR Intelligence (Ouellette, EHR Intelligence, 6/29).
Paul Wilder, director of NYeC, said, "The business partnerships we've developed with the local organizations around the state, including many regional health information organizations, have been an important part of our success as a REC" (Modern Healthcare, 6/29).