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ONC Beacon Communities: A Proving Ground for Health IT and EHRs

Dr. David Blumenthal | December 2, 2009

As a physician, I’m trained to rely on proven methods and seek evidence that new approaches to care will lead to better outcomes.  The new Beacon Community Program, announced today and funded at the level of $235 million through the HITECH Act, is designed with that approach in mind.  This program aims to further strengthen advanced health information exchange capabilities established within 15 diverse communities throughout the United States.

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Portrait of Dr. David Blumenthal

Benefits of Health IT

Dr. David Blumenthal | November 30, 2009

In February 2009, President Obama and the Congress launched a vast, ambitious program to improve the health of Americans, and the performance of their health system, by building a nationwide, interoperable, private and secure, electronic health information system.  This vision – of health care empowered by a modern information system, serving each and every American according to their needs and preferences – reflects decades of study and thinking by health care experts, health professionals, and average citizens. 

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Preparing the Health IT Workforce of Tomorrow

Dr. David Blumenthal | November 24, 2009

Today’s announcement of $80 million in Recovery Act funds for workforce training marks the first in a series of HITECH grant programs to address our nation’s growing need for highly skilled and trained health IT professionals.  The development of this workforce will have a significant impact through job creation in two fields – technology and health care – that comprise a significant portion of our economy.

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Portrait of Dr. David Blumenthal

Health IT Conversation…A New Blog

Dr. David Blumenthal | November 23, 2009

There are lots of great ideas about how to use health IT and exchange electronic health information to improve outcomes and reduce costs in our health care system.  The recent, unprecedented commitment of our nation to support the meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs) has accelerated the pace of conversation.  ONC and others have been listening.

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