How Can a New York City Provider Purchase EHR Software Through the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene?
Primary care practices (including family medicine, pediatrics, internal medicine and OB/GYN) located in under-served NYC communities may be eligible to receive a $4,000.00 grant toward an eClinicalWorks EHR software package. The grant is administered by the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in support of its Primary Care Information Project ("PCIP").
PCIP is a New York City grant program that was developed to promote "prevention-oriented EHR's" among providers who care for NYC's under-served and vulnerable populations. Primary care practices that are eligible for, and receive, the EHR grant will be required to participate in certain quality improvement efforts, including quality reporting and linkage to public health information systems.
While the $4,000.00 grant money will not cover the entire cost of running an EHR based practice, it is enough to cover the initial conversion costs ( including eClinicalWorks EHR licensing, staff training and 2 years of maintenance and support). In addition, by converting to EHR, primary care practices may become eligible for the financial incentives available under other government programs, including the ARRA.
eClinicalWorks EHR has recieved 2008 CCHIT certification (the most current certification offered by CCHIT) and, as with all other EHR software, it remains to be seen whether it will receive the upcoming CCHIT ARRA certification.
