With support from a HEAL 10 grant, the Fort Drum Regional Health Planning Organization, which serves patients in rural communities in Northern New York is working with PCDC to help practices adopt electronic health records (EHR); achieve NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition; achieve “meaningful use” of EHR certification; and exchange health information across provider settings.
PCDC is providing facilitation and technical assistance to all practices (More than 100 providers in 17 private practices and five hospitals), which are at varying levels of PCMH readiness and health information technology adoption. By the end of 2011, all sites will have EMR, facilitate Health Information Exchange, and apply for PCMH Level 2 and Stage 1 Meaningful Use. The project’s clinical area of focus is Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), because of its high incidence rate and impact on hospitalizations and mortality rates.