Funding is available through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology (ONC), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and Indian Health Services (IHS).

 

 

Medicaid and Medicare Incentives for Providers Using Electronic Health Records (EHRs): The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide reimbursement incentives for eligible professionals and hospitals who are successful in becoming “meaningful users” of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology.

 

These incentive payments begin in 2011 and gradually decrease. Starting in 2015, providers are expected to have adopted and be actively utilizing a certified EHR in compliance with the "meaningful use" definition or they will be subject to financial penalties under Medicare.

Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC): The HITECH Act seeks to improve patient care and make it patient-centric through the creation of a secure, interoperable nationwide health information network. A key premise is that information should follow the patient, and artificial obstacles -- technical, bureaucratic, or business related -- should not be a barrier to the seamless exchange of information

 

Therefore, secure information exchange needs to occur across institutional and business boundaries so that the appropriate information is available to improve coordination, efficiency, and quality of care.

 

The HITECH grants are specifically designed to work together to provide the necessary assistance and technical support to providers, enable coordination and alignment within and among states, establish connectivity to the public health community in case of emergencies, and assure the workforce is properly trained and equipped to be meaningful users of EHRs.

 

 

 

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and a consortium of community colleges, led by Portland Community College (PCC), have received funding from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (HIT) to develop and implement HIT curriculum and train students for the new skills and roles that will be required in the burgeoning HIT industry.

 

In addition to the material students are learning in the classroom, internships are an essential component of their programs and will provide them with the real world, hands on experience they will need to succeed in the marketplace.

 

If you'd like to offer an intership opportunity within your organization, please contact the following individuals who will help match you with the right student: