Push for meaningful use leads to consolidation of two HIEs

California officials have designated a new organization to lead health information exchange efforts in the state in hopes of helping healthcare providers capture more than $3 billion in federal stimulus funding for meaningful use of health IT.

Within the next six months, state officials will transfer responsibilities for governance of health IT within California to the not-for-profit, called Cal eConnect. The organization, which represents a consolidation of CalRHIO and the California eHealth Collaborative, two of the seven groups that sought recognition from the state, will determine which HIT vendors meet national standards for HIE, e-prescribing and other activities aimed at improving quality and efficiency of care delivered to Medicare and Medicaid patients in California.

"This organization is intended to help create a consensus about how institutions like hospitals, clinics, and physician practices can communicate with each other in a safe way," Jonah Frohlich, California's deputy secretary for health information technology, explains in a Health Leaders Media report.

David Lansky, CEO of the Pacific Business Group on Health, and Don Crane, CEO of the California Association of Physician Groups, will co-chair the new organization. The rest of the 22-member Cal eConnect board has not been appointed, but will represent a broad coalition of healthcare stakeholders, including safety-net providers, according to Frohlich.

To learn more:
- take a look at this Health Leaders Media story

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