FirstLight Health System Awarded E-Health Connectivity Grant
FirstLight Health System was awarded the 2011 Minnesota e-Health Connectivity Grant for Health Information Exchange (HIE) on February 3rd. FirstLight was awarded $10,000. This grant was designed to provide modest resources to help health care providers and hospitals in rural and underserved areas build HIE capacity and achieve HIE capability.
Minnesota e-Health Connect is a project funded through the State Health Information Exchange (HIE) Cooperative Agreement Program, established under the HITECH Act and administered by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC). The program is intended to build capacity in all states for exchanging health information across the health care system both within and across states. The cooperative agreement specifically requires states to use their authority, programs and resources to:
- Ensure the development of state level directories and enable technical services for health information exchange
- Convene stakeholders to ensure trust and support for a statewide approach to health information exchange
- Ensure an effective model for health information exchange governance and accountability
- Coordinate an integrated approach with Medicaid and public health
- Develop and update privacy and security requirements for health information exchange
- Remove barriers and create enablers for health information exchange
This brand new resource, developed collaboratively by HIE stakeholders throughout state, will assist health and healthcare providers assess their readiness for HIE and understand what options are available in Minnesota. Visit the HIE Guidance for Minnesota's Health and Healthcare Providers new site to check out the new information
In particular, this grant will will:
- Assist qualifying clinics and hospitals in rural and underserved communities who are potentially eligible, or employ professionals that are potentially eligible, for federal incentives for meaningful use of an EHR and must have a certified EHR partially implemented (installed and in use for some staff and providers) OR fully implemented (installed and in use for all [more than 90%] staff and providers).
- Assist rural pharmacies serving ambulatory patients in cities with populations <10,000 that are currently unable to accept electronic prescriptions or meet the requirements for exchange without updating their existing systems.
FirstLight Health System is located at the junction of Highways 65 and 23 in Mora. The main telephone numbers are 320-679-1212, 320-629-9993 and 800-245-5671.