In February of 2009, the Obama Administration signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) into law. Included in the ARRA, also known as the Stimulus Act, is $19.2 billion intended to to leverage the use of Electronic Health Record (EHR) technology by physicians and hospitals. This particular portion of the ARRA is called the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH). Providers and hospitals can be awarded funds for the implementation of EHRs when demonstrating “meaningful use” of the technology.
The Government has taken the position that leveraging technology and increasing its utilization within patient information exchange and clinical work flows will result in improved efficiencies in health care delivery, improved accuracy in patient information, and overall decreased costs associated in our national health care strategic initiatives.
Title XIII in Division A, pages 112 through 165, and Title IV in Divisions B, pages 353 through 398 address the HITECH portion of the overall ARRA.
For more detailed information on HITECH, go here.
Physicians (and in certain circumstances nurse practitioners) are eligible for significant funds to reimburse them for their technology investment in EHRs. Hospitals are also eligible for this funding.
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