FRANKFORT, KY - Kentucky has been awarded funding to expand and build a statewide health information exchange, receiving nearly $10 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to enhance the state’s health information technology efforts. The funding will be administered by the Governor’s Office of Electronic Health Information Technology and will bolster initiatives to build a state health information exchange.
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Labor Secretary Hilda Solis announced the award to Kentucky as part of a total of nearly $1 billion in ARRA funds awarded across the country.
“This is a tremendous award for the state of Kentucky in terms of advancing our efforts to build a statewide health information exchange,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “The funding is a great economic opportunity for Kentucky and will result in many high-tech jobs for our state.”
“We believe Kentucky is poised to be a leader in the effort to advance electronic health information technology,” said Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Janie Miller. “The funding will help Kentucky improve coordination of care, deliver health care more efficiently, and improve patient health outcomes.”
This award will allow Kentucky to expand the Kentucky Health Information Exchange (KHIE), which is being funded by a Medicaid transformation grant. Plans call for the KHIE to be piloted this spring by six hospitals and one clinic.
Sec. Sebelius announced $761 million in HHS grant awards, part of a federal initiative to build capacity to enable widespread meaningful use of health IT. (An additional $227 million in ARRA funds was awarded in Department of Labor grants, bringing the total of ARRA funds awarded to nearly $1 billion.)
This assistance at the state and regional level will facilitate health care providers' efforts to adopt and use electronic health records (EHRs) in a meaningful manner that has the potential to improve the quality and efficiency of health care for all Americans.
Of the over $761 million investment, $386 million will go to 40 states – including Kentucky - and qualified State Designated Entities (SDEs) to facilitate health information exchange (HIE) at the state level.
“Health information technology can make our health care system more efficient and improve the quality of care we all receive," said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. "These grant awards, the first of their kind, will help develop our electronic infrastructure and give doctors and other health care providers the support they need as they adopt this powerful technology.”
Cartoon: The legacy of two presidents
1 hour ago
