MEREC Services

Vendor Negotiation: The Maine Regional Extension Center (MEREC) has negotiated discounted group rates with pre-screened vendors certified by the Office of National Coordinator.

Privacy and Security: Providers participating in the MEREC have access to privacy and security best practices, tools and resources, ensuring compliance with HIPAA regulations. This is service is for both independent and employed providers.

Low interest loans: The MEREC is partnering with the Maine Health Access Foundation to offer a special loan program to help participating providers finance their new EHR system. The loan has an interest rate of 4.5% with a 5-year duration and is administered by the Finance Authority of Maine.

Connection to the health information exchange: Enrolled practices with 10 or fewer providers may connect to HealthInfoNet, Maine’s designated health information exchange, for free. This connection satisfies Meaningful Use measures around interoperability in addition to improving coordination and continuity of care.

EHR Quality Coaching: The MEREC offers onsite quality improvement coaching through its partnership with Quality Counts. Quality Counts offers MEREC practices quality improvement guidance and support for linking EHR adoption with clinical improvement. Using a data-driven approach, Quality Counts works with the MEREC to align EHR adoption with quality measurement and improvement, and promotes the sharing and exchange of best practices through its statewide learning network of primary care practices.