Overwhelming Response for Electronic Health Record Demonstration Project

Over 30 communities have applied for an Electronic Health Record Demonstration project, which will reward the use of certified electronic health records in order to improve quality of care.

The project, intended to minimize medical errors and improve overall quality of care, will provide financial incentives to as many as 1200 small or medium practices in twelve communities over a five year period.  The improvement of quality of care through the use of Electronic Health Records will be measured by gauging the practices’ performance of specific clinical measures.  A survey which measures the number of Electronic Health Record functionalities employed by the practice will be used to award bonus payments. 

Representatives for CMS spent time in a number of communities throughout the country in order to highlight the upcoming project and encourage local health care providers, health plans, officials, business leaders, and other key stateholders, to apply for the demonstration project.  The visits apparently paid off, resulting in the application of over 30 communities.

In June, the communities selected to partner with CMS in the Electronic Health Record Demonstration Project will be informed, and they will work with CMS to recruit small to medium sized primary care physician practices to become involved in the demonstration project.  This fall, four of these communities will begin recruitment; the other eight will begin next year.

For more information on the project, see http://www.cms.hhs.gov/DemoProjectsEvalRpts/downloads/2008_Electronic_Health_Records_Demonstration.pdf .