Washington - Today, U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded the New Jersey Health Care Facilities Financing Authority $11,408,594 to help states establish health information exchanges (HIE) that advance health information technology (health IT). These exchanges will enable eligible healthcare providers to be deemed meaningful users of health IT and receive incentive payments under the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive program.

"This large investment will create a more efficient and accurate health care system as well as new jobs in our state," said Menendez. "Through the creation of a health information exchange, New Jersey will be one step closer to enabling care coordination and improving the quality and efficiency of health care. Medical histories will be available instantaneously for doctors anywhere a patient is treated. That will make treatment quicker, safer and more effective, and it will create employment opportunities as this system is implemented."

"These new funds will help establish the information technology infrastructure we need to improve patient care, reduce costs, and exchange critical medical information accurately and efficiently." said Lautenberg, who as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee helped author the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). "Health information exchanges are a technological breakthrough that will help move our health care system into the 21st century and improve quality of care."

Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, this award is part of the $2 billion effort to achieve widespread meaningful use of health IT.

Additional information about the state HIE program may be found at http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1488&parentname=CommunityPage&parentid=2&mode=2&in_hi_userid=10741&cached=true
and http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/sebelius-solis-announce-nearly-1-billion-recovery-act-investment-advancing-use-heal

Information about other health IT programs funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 can be found here: http://HealthIT.HHS.gov

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