SEATTLE, Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Small and rural doctors’ offices throughout Washington state may be eligible for new grants allowing them to adopt expensive computer technology to improve patient care for Medicare beneficiaries. Two health care organizations, First Choice Health and Qualis Health, are collaborating to award a total of $200,000 to ten qualifying small- and rural-practice physician groups. The grants, of up to $20,000 each, are designed to help shrink the digital disparity between small, budget-strapped physician groups and their larger counterparts.
The innovative technology grants are being provided by First Choice Health as part of a joint initiative with Qualis Health to encourage specific physician groups to participate in a program called the Doctor’s Office Quality Information Technology (DOQ-IT). Working with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), DOQ-IT will improve the efficiency, safety and quality of health care for patients by making it easier for physician practices to adopt electronic health record (EHR) systems, improving access to patient medical records and decision support data.
“Our central purpose is to bring the benefits of modern technology to the patients of small or rural physician practices that often find it hard to afford expensive hardware and software now available to large practices,” says Ze’ev Young, M.D. and First Choice Health’s Chief Medical Officer.
While First Choice Health provides the funding, Qualis Health will identify qualifying physician practices -- and provide free consultation, quality improvement assistance and support to those practices that are eligible. The DOQ-IT project aims to improve care for Medicare beneficiaries in the areas of diabetes, heart failure, coronary artery disease, hypertension and preventive care.
“It is well known that technology has tremendous potential to significantly improve the quality of medical care being delivered to patients,” said Jeff Hummel, MD, MPH, Qualis Health’s DOQ-IT physician lead.
“Our objective is to ensure that physicians ready to move from paper medical records to health information technology have access to the expertise, education and tools necessary to make the transition possible.”
Physician practices may apply for the grants by downloading an application at Qualis Health’s web site at www.qualishealth.org/doq-it or by visiting First Choice Health at www.1stchoiceofwa.com and submitting their information prior to September 16, 2005. Qualifying physician practices that are not selected to receive grants from First Choice Health will still be able to access free EHR consultation and support from Qualis Health.
Evaluators from First Choice Health management and board of directors will determine which ten physician practices will be awarded the $20,000 grants this fall and the program will be implemented by the end of the year.
About First Choice Health
First Choice Health (www.fchn.com) is a regionally-based hospital and physician owned company that provides health care services to nearly 1.2 million members in Washington state and other parts of the Pacific Northwest. The company emphasizes public service and bringing technology to benefit all patients.
About Qualis Health
Qualis Health is dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare delivery and health outcomes for individuals and populations across the nation. In operation since 1974, the non-profit, healthcare quality improvement organization (QIO) is headquartered in Seattle, Washington and has offices in Idaho and Alaska. Qualis Health is contracted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
CONTACT: Steve McLean David Endicott +1-206-366-3371 +1-206-409-3275 stevemc@qualishealth.orgdavid@davidendicott.us
Qualis Health
CONTACT: Steve McLean of Qualis Health, +1-206-366-3371, orstevemc@qualishealth.org; or David Endicott, +1-206-409-3275, ordavid@davidendicott.us, for First Choice Health
