Federal government sponsors EHR-support offices

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced in late August plans to award $598 million in grants to open as many as 70 regional offices next year to help practices adopt electronic health record systems.

"Our [centers] are designed to help the small practices and primary care physicians," says David Blumenthal, MD, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. "We're hoping a large number will qualify for 'meaningful use' early in the process." "Meaningful use" is a yet-to-be-defined standard physicians will have to meet to earn a potential $44,000 in incentives over five years from Medicare, with reimbursement penalties beginning in 2015.

The centers will help practices select a certified EHR system and provide "end-to-end project-management support" covering the entire implementation process.