With some regional extension centers (RECs) poised to open this month, small physician practices will soon have access to the help they need to qualify for meaningful use bonuses under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
"These are the types of doctors least likely to be able to afford support services in the private market," David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), said at a press conference last month.
Blumenthal said the centers will target small practices, but they will also be available to give all providers assistance face-to-face, online and via phone from offices staffed with employees in each region.
"What we are interested in providing is customer service," Blumenthal said. "In a large part, providers will define what's most useful."
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the centers are expected to support some 100,000 primary care providers and hospitals within the first two years. They will support tens of thousands of new jobs including nursing, pharmacy technicians, IT technicians and trainers, Sebelius said.
This year, the federal government provided $642 million in grants in two phases to 60 organizations nationwide that will become regional extension centers. Some are expected to open as soon as this month, while others will need a bit more time before they launch, according to Blumenthal.
Farzad Mostashari, senior adviser for ONC said the RECs would provide troubleshooting on hardware, software and project management. They will also provide legal experts to help with privacy and security issues.
Doctors and hospitals that have not purchased healthcare IT should not wait before contacting their REC because RECs can advise providers on making a wise purchase, Mostashari said.
Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients, or CRISP was one of 28 organizations to receive REC grant funding last month.
CRISP President David Horrocks, said his organization will use its $5.5 million to partner with small businesses and non-profit organizations in Maryland, each with demonstrated expertise in EHR implementation, to provide "critical customized advice" and "on-the-ground implementation" services to physician practices.
According to ONC, hundreds of healthcare providers located near CRISP have already expressed interest in working with the new extension center.
