Obama administration announces $975M in HIT grants
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HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, appearing with Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, announced the Obama administration will release almost $1 billion set aside in the stimulus bill in order to aid implementation of health information technology.
Secretary Sebelius announced $386 million in grants to advance widespread adoption of EHRs at the state level, including for health information exchanges (HIEs). HHS also awarded $375 million to 32 nonprofits for Regional Extension Centers which assist providers in updating their medical record systems and train workers on such new technologies.
Secretary Solis announced around $225 million to support 55 job-training programs in 30 states which is expected to train around 15,000 people in the health records technology.
The Obama administration expects to help more than 100,000 health-care providers set up electronic medical records for their patients by 2014.
According to the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire blog:
Patient privacy is the top priority,” Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said. The agency is about to appoint a chief privacy officer, and the government has strengthen [sic] the penalties for negligent security breaches for companies so they reach up to $1 million.
"Electronic Medical Records get a boost," Washington Wire (February 12, 2010).
"Obama awards money for electronic medical records," Associated Press (February 13, 2010).
