VT plans to push EMRs to primary care MDs

The state of Vermont has set plans to meet an ambitious goal, that of pushing out EMRs into the office of half of the state's primary care doctors over the next few years. The seven-year, $32 million plan involves converting paper records into digital ones. Right now, only 13 percent of Vermont's PCPs use EMRs, not nearly enough to improve the efficiency and quality of the state's health system, officials say. State officials are moving ahead with the program after conducting a $1 million pilot test that provided startup funds for EMRs for a dozen medical offices.

If the EMR project is successful, it could serve as the cornerstone for moving ahead with other IT projects. The group managing the EMR plan, Vermont Information Technology Leaders, is rolling out several other projects involving networked health data, including a service making patients' medication history available to hospitals electronically.

To learn more about the project:
- read the VITL website
- read this Rutland Herald item

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