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Health Information Technology (HIT)

Health information technology makes it possible for health care professionals to better manage patient care through secure use and sharing of health information. HIT includes the use of electronic health records (EHRs) instead of paper medical records to maintain patient health information. With HIT, health care providers will have:
  • Accurate and complete information about a patient's health.
  • The ability to better coordinate the care they give.
  • A way to securely share information with patients and their family caregivers over the Internet, for patients who opt for this convenience.
  • Information to help health care providers diagnose health problems sooner, reduce medical errors, and provide safer care at lower costs.
To promote adoption and improve the performance of the health care system, the HITECH Act was signed into law in 2009. The HITECT Act provides substantial financial incentives for the adoption and Meaningful Use of certified EHR technology.

Meaningful Use

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) EHR Incentive Programs provide a financial incentive to eligible professionals who use their Meaningful Use-certified EHR to accomplish functions in a meaningful manner such as with
e-prescribing, electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of health care, and submitting clinical quality and other measures.

FMQAI will partner with the four Florida Regional Extension Centers (RECs) to promote health care professional EHR adoption and successful demonstration of meaningful use.

The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for HIT / Meaningful Use / HIE is focusing its efforts on engaging the private sector, including vendors, service companies, and insurers, to make health information exchange a reality. ONC is working with the State Health Information Exchange Programs and other programs to expand the use of EHRs to promote better use of HIT / Meaningful Use / HIE by engaging clinicians, employers, consumers, and others.

Health Information Exchange (HIE)

The Florida Health Information Exchange (Florida HIE) enables the secure exchange of health information. The Florida HIE has contracted with the Harris Corporation to build and operate the HIE infrastructure. The system provides the capability to electronically move clinical information between health care information systems with the goal of facilitating access to and retrieval of clinical data to provide timelier, safer, efficient, effective, patient-centered care. Two services will be offered to accomplish the secure electronic exchange of patient health information. The services are: Direct Secure Messaging and Patient Look-Up and Delivery of services.

FMQAI will integrate with state and local health information exchange efforts. Health care professionals will be encouraged to report to the State Immunization Information System via their EHR.

HealthIT.gov

CMS EHR Incentive Programs

Sign up for the latest updates from the CMS EHR Incentive Programs: HERE

Florida Regional Extension Centers:
Florida Health Information Exchange
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