Health Information Technology Adoption and Meaningful Use Readiness: Survey Findings and CHC Experience

Health Information Technology Adoption and Meaningful Use Readiness: Survey Findings and CHC Experience

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Merle Cunningham, M.D., M.P.H., Lead author, “Results from the 2010-11 Readiness for Meaningful Use of HIT and Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition Survey” Geiger Gibson/ RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative,

Report # 27  (November 3, 2011).”

Visiting Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate Certificate Program in Community Health Center (CHC) Management Department of Health Services Management & Leadership, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.

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Gil M. Muñoz, M.P.A., Chief Executive Officer, Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center (Cornelius, OR)

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C. John Torontow M.D., M.P.H., Associate Medical Director for Medical Informatics Piedmont Health Services, Inc., (North Carolina), Lead provider, Piedmont’s  Siler City Community Health Center

Session Summary:

Health information technology holds the promise of helping us to improve the quality and efficiency of care. This webinar will focus on a recent report from the Geiger Gibson RCHN Community Health Foundation Research Collaborative, “Results from the 2010-11 Readiness for Meaningful Use of HIT and Patient Centered Medical Home Recognition Survey (November 3, 2011).”  Derived from a nationwide survey of health centers, the data provide unique insight into the status of electronic health record (EHR) and health information technology adoption among community health centers. Among the findings are that 69 percent of health centers have already adopted EHRs, with 45 percent of them being fully electronic at all sites. While  survey findings show that adoption of HIT has been embraced as a health center priority, cost and staffing challenges remain to be addressed to support full implementation of HIT, clinical practice development,  and recognition of health centers as medical home. The key report findings will be  presented by  Dr. Merle Cunningham,  lead author of the chartbook. He will be joined by discussants Dr. John Torontow ( Piedmont Health Services, Inc., NC) and Mr. Gil M. Muñoz (Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, OR) who will address the experiences  of their health centers in achieving the adoption and meaningful use of HIT.