The Regional Extension Center Program: Helping Physicians Meaningfully Use Health Information Technology

摘要

Many physicians face financial and organizational barriers that in-nhibit their adoption of electronic health record (EHR) systems. Then2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and ClinicalnHealth Act included provisions to facilitate the transition from papernto electronic records, including Medicare and Medicaid incentivenpayments to support the adoption and meaningful use of EHRnsystems. It also created the Health Information Technology Re-ngional Extension Center (REC) program to ease the barriers facednby primary care physicians and rural and critical-access hospitalsnseeking to implement EHRs. The 60 RECs will administer individu-nalized assistance to primary care practices and rural and critical-access hospitals as they implement new EHR systems or upgradenexisting ones. In aggregate, the RECs aim to help 100 000 primaryncare physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners to ef-nectively implement EHR systems and qualify for incentive pay-nments for meaningful use.nThis article describes the rationale for the REC program andndescribes how the 60 RECs promote the meaningful use of EHRnystems.