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VITL EHR Partnership Program Launched
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Montpelier, Vt. (Sept. 24) – Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc., the non-profit organization facilitating the expanded use of health information technology in Vermont, announced its program to form partnerships to accelerate the adoption and implementation of electronic health record (EHR) systems by Vermont physician practices.
Beginning in 2011, Vermont physicians can qualify for between $44,000 and $64,000 in payments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for adopting and demonstrating “meaningful use” of an EHR. Physicians who have not adopted certified EHR systems by 2014 will have their Medicare reimbursements reduced by up to 3 percent beginning in 2015.
“The availability of federal funding for health information technology is an exciting opportunity, but for many physician practices there is a lot of work that needs to be done in a relatively short amount of time. VITL is seeking partners who are committed to helping Vermont physicians meet those deadlines and qualify for meaningful use,” said VITL President and CEO David Cochran, MD.
There will be multiple options for physician practices to choose from, he noted. “Choice is very important for physician practices and VITL wants to enable that. Our goal is to provide physician practices with a list of carefully-selected partners that they can feel confident in doing business with.”
While some partners will be commercial vendors, others may be health care organizations that are making electronic health records systems available to physicians. “For example, we’ve been collaborating with Fletcher Allen Health Care as it implements its new PRISM system and develops a PRISM Regional program. That and other hospital-led efforts to bring electronic health records to community physicians are critical to expanded use of HIT in the state and will be important partners to VITL,” said Cochran.
For more information, contact:
Steve Larose
Vice President, External Affairs
Vermont Information Technology Leaders, Inc.
144 Main St., Suite 1
Montpelier, VT
802-223-4100 ext 102
slarose@vitl.net
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