Colorado Health awards $2M for health IT adoption
The Colorado Health Foundation (CHF) has awarded $2 million in grants to 12 organizations to promote the adoption of EHRs and related technologies.
"It's increasingly clear that health information technology is a key strategy in improving our healthcare system," said Anne Warhover, president and CEO of CHF. "The recently passed federal stimulus package includes significant investments in [health] IT. The foundation is working to ensure that Colorado's healthcare safety net is positioned to take advantage of HIT's potential to both improve healthcare quality and reduce costs."
The grants were awarded to a range of nonprofit healthcare organizations, including federally qualified health centers, critical-access hospitals, rural health clinics, community-based health information exchanges, an independent clinic, a community mental health center and a statewide association of school-based health centers.
The CHF has identified health IT as a priority. In 2007, the foundation launched Healthy Connections, an $11 million, multi-year initiative aimed at increasing the use of IT in safety-net clinics and creating the infrastructure necessary for healthcare providers to share information electronically.
The latest Healthy Connections grantees include:
• Chaffee People's Clinic in Salida;
• Clinica Family Health Services in Lafayette;
• Colorado Association for School-Based Health Care in Denver;
• Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program in Fort Collins;
• Grand River Hospital District in Rifle;
• Mountain Family Health Centers in Glenwood Springs;
• Northwest Colorado Community Health Project in Steamboat Springs/Craig;
• St. Vincent General Hospital District - Buena Vista Family Practice Clinic in Leadville/Buena Vista;
• Salud Family Health Centers in Fort Lupton;
• CORHIO/San Luis Valley Health Information Exchange in Denver/Alamosa;
• Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center in Durango; and
• Southwest Memorial Hospital--Southwest Primary Care Clinic in Cortez.
"It's increasingly clear that health information technology is a key strategy in improving our healthcare system," said Anne Warhover, president and CEO of CHF. "The recently passed federal stimulus package includes significant investments in [health] IT. The foundation is working to ensure that Colorado's healthcare safety net is positioned to take advantage of HIT's potential to both improve healthcare quality and reduce costs."
The grants were awarded to a range of nonprofit healthcare organizations, including federally qualified health centers, critical-access hospitals, rural health clinics, community-based health information exchanges, an independent clinic, a community mental health center and a statewide association of school-based health centers.
The CHF has identified health IT as a priority. In 2007, the foundation launched Healthy Connections, an $11 million, multi-year initiative aimed at increasing the use of IT in safety-net clinics and creating the infrastructure necessary for healthcare providers to share information electronically.
The latest Healthy Connections grantees include:
• Chaffee People's Clinic in Salida;
• Clinica Family Health Services in Lafayette;
• Colorado Association for School-Based Health Care in Denver;
• Fort Collins Family Medicine Residency Program in Fort Collins;
• Grand River Hospital District in Rifle;
• Mountain Family Health Centers in Glenwood Springs;
• Northwest Colorado Community Health Project in Steamboat Springs/Craig;
• St. Vincent General Hospital District - Buena Vista Family Practice Clinic in Leadville/Buena Vista;
• Salud Family Health Centers in Fort Lupton;
• CORHIO/San Luis Valley Health Information Exchange in Denver/Alamosa;
• Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center in Durango; and
• Southwest Memorial Hospital--Southwest Primary Care Clinic in Cortez.