HealthInfoNet, a Maine nonprofit that operates the statewide health information exchange and the Maine Regional Extension Center, was recently awarded $264,000 in additional funding through the Regional Extension Center Program of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The funds will be used to help 22 critical access and rural Maine hospitals adopt and meaningfully use electronic medical records.
Authorized under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the grant is part of a total $20 million awarded nationwide to support electronic health record implementation and use by critical access and rural hospitals of 50 beds or less.
The Maine Regional Extension Center is currently awaiting instructions from ONC regarding use of the award monies, and will begin distributing funds to eligible Maine hospitals when finalized.
“This is great news for Maine,” said HealthInfoNet CEO Devore Culver. “Moving to electronic record keeping is particularly challenging for small rural hospitals. This funding will help to alleviate some of the financial barriers to adoption.”
The 22 hospitals eligible for funding include:
- Blue Hill Memorial Hospital
- Bridgton Hospital
- Calais Regional Hospital
- Cary Medical Center
- Charles A. Dean Memorial Hospital
- Down East Community Hospital
- Franklin Memorial Hospital
- Goodall Hospital
- Houlton Regional Hospital
- Inland Hospital
- Mayo Regional Hospital
- Miles Memorial Hospital
- Millinocket Regional Hospital
- Mount Desert Island Hospital
- Northern Maine Medical Center
- Penobscot Valley Hospital
- Redington-Fairview General Hospital
- Rumford Hospital
- Sebasticook Valley Hospital
- Andrews Hospital
- Stephens Memorial Hospital
- Waldo County General Hospital
HealthInfoNet also received $4.7 million in funding in April 2010 to accelerate the adoption of electronic health records among primary care providers. The organization is currently in the process of selecting supported vendors to offer discounted pricing on electronic health records systems and implementation services to health care providers enrolled in the program. Providers interested in finding out if they qualify should visit www.hinfonet.org to find out more and express interest.
