New Jersey releases funding for health IT plan

New Jersey is releasing grant funds to a group of New Jersey hospitals and clinics in order to advance a statewide electronic health records initiative. The grant money comes from a federal award of $11.4 million that the state received in 2010. The money will be split between electronic health records projects and the creation of four regional Health Information Exchanges (HIEs).

Health-e-cITi-NJ, is the first of four previously designated hospital-and-clinic groups in the state to begin receiving federal grant funding. Remaining funds will start to be released shortly for groups covering other regions in the state–Jersey Health Connect, Camden HIE, and EMRX-SJ. The funds are being distributed and accounted for by the New Jersey Health Care Facilities Financing Authority.

In January, New Jersey’s health information technology operational plan was approved giving the state the ability to draw on funds from the Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement program administered by the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

“It’s exciting to see the funds start to flow to the Health Information Technology organizations built around the state by community and regional hospitals as well as health clinics” said Colleen Woods, New Jersey Health IT Coordinator. “Each HIE has developed their own innovative approach to meeting the goals which can eventually lead to better healthcare at lower costs.”