In this issue:
Illinois Regional Extension Center Sign-up Reaching Capacity

Snapshot of Statewide HIE

IL-HITREC first M3 Attestation

Lessons Learned from IL-HITREC’s First Attestation

State of Illinois Medicaid Attestation update

The Electronic Health Record Opportunity

To find out if you are qualified for IL-HITREC services, please take our brief
QUALIFICATION SURVEY

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info@ILHITREC.org
Phone: 815-753-1136
Fax: 815-753-2460

September/October 2011Issue: 4

Greetings!

Welcome to the September/October issue of the IL-HITREC INTERCHANGE. This newsletter is your resource for news and information on the REC program in Illinois.


IL Regional Extension Center
Sign-up Reaching Capacity

Through our federal grant program, IL-HITREC is limited to assisting 1300 priority primary care providers in reaching meaningful use of a certified EHR system. We are currently at 89% of our goal, with many practices in the queue for securing services in their area. While there still may be some capacity in your area, it is filling quickly. In addition, IL-HITREC now has a waiting list program that will allow practices to secure a spot with IL-HITREC, in the event a practice cannot move forward with REC services.

For sign-up information in your area, please contact info@ilhitrec.org.

Below are some National and Local provider sign-up statistics:

National Goal: 100,000 priority primary care providers
Current National Enrollment: 92,221 (92% of goal)
IL-HITREC Goal: 1300 priority primary care providers
Current IL-HITREC Enrollment: 1160 (89% of goal)


Snapshot of Statewide HIE

One of the key ways Illinois is improving the delivery of healthcare in Illinois is through the Illinois Health Information Exchange (ILHIE). ILHIE is responsible for overseeing the statewide health information exchange. It will give healthcare providers a secure system to exchange electronic health information, provide authorized access to comprehensive medical records, prevent duplicate tests and procedures, and assure the accuracy of prescription drugs and other medical orders. Read the full article


IL-HITREC first M3 Attestation

Lemont GroupIL-HITREC’s mission to help physicians use an electronic health record system in a meaningful way reached a new milestone in August. Lemont Primary Care (Lemont, IL) became the first practice working with IL-HITREC to attest to meaningful use of EHRs in the Medicare Electronic Health Records Incentive Program. Read the entire article…


Lessons Learned from IL-HITRECs First Attestation

Lemont staffWhat is the key to achieving Meaningful Use of electronic health records? Based on the experience of Lemont Primary Care in Lemont, IL, attestation can be achieved quickly through a combination of planning, collaboration, commitment and flexibility. Read the entire article…



State of Illinois Medicaid Attestation Update

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) has launched the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Provider Incentive Payment (PIP) Program, which allows Medicaid to pay an incentive to Eligible Professionals (EPs) that adopt, implement and meaningfully use certified EHR technology. Read the article


The Electronic Health Record Opportunity

In this video from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, learn about ONCs Regional Extension Centers and how they can help health care providers make the change to EHRs.
Health care providers might appreciate the benefits of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) but are unsure where to start. ONCs Regional Extension Centers (RECs) help providers make the transition to EHRs through a streamlined and practical process. As the widespread adoption of EHRs quickly approaches, the RECs act as your partner on the road to providing better health care and improved treatment outcomes. ONCs Dr. Farzad Mostashari and representatives from the RECs discuss strategies to bridge the technology gap and assist health care practitioners in providing optimum patient care.