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The Stimulus
Bill may help you acquire your Case Management
Software
In its more than 1,000 pages,
the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009
signed into law on February 17, 2009, includes
important changes for health and human service
organizations in addition to providing funds for
projects to stimulate the economy. The following
aspects of the bill are of immediate importance
for the behavioral health and social service
field:
Health information technology, via the Health
Information Technology for Economic and Clinical
Health Act (HITECH), was a key part of the
legislation’s focus on health care system
improvements. Of the $20 billion allocated for
health care system improvements, $19 billion was
designated for HITECH provisions. As a
result of the provisions,
the Congressional Budget Office estimates that
approximately 90% of physicians and 70% of
hospitals will be using comprehensive electronic
health records by 2014.
The HITECH provisions address the need
for standards for the electronic exchange and
use of health information, training and sharing
of best practices for using health information
technology.
The HITECH Act also provides incentives and
grants to encourage providers to adopt health
information technology.
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