HIXNY Enrolls First Local Practice In NYeC Regional Extension Center Program
Will Connect Myrtle Street OB/GYN in Saratoga Springs with Health Information Technology Services
ALBANY, NY (August 26, 2010) - Healthcare Information Xchange of New York (HIXNY), a community-based, not-for-profit regional health information organization (RHIO) whose members include physician organizations, hospitals and health plans, announced today that it has enrolled its first practice, Myrtle Street OB/GYN of Saratoga Springs, through the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) Regional Extension Center program.
HIXNY was named an Outreach Agent for the program earlier this summer. As an Outreach Agent, HIXNY educates and enrolls eligible primary care providers in the greater Capital Region and Northern New York to receive expert consultative services in the adoption, implementation, and "meaningful use" of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology. Practices that meet the federal government's meaningful use objectives and measures are eligible for federal incentives from Medicaid or Medicare.
"HIXNY is connecting us to the resources and expertise we need to meaningfully use EHR in our practice," stated Louise West, RN, practice manager, Myrtle Street OB/GYN. "The use of EHR facilitates the physician's ability to coordinate quality care for our patients."
Eligible primary care providers for the Regional Extension Center program include physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants practicing in primary care specialties including family practice, internal medicine, general practice, OB-GYN, and pediatrics. The providers must provide care in practices with 10 or less providers or practice in a federally-qualified health center, public or critical access hospital, or primarily serve medically underserved populations.
"As a community-based not-for-profit focused on regional health information technology services and solutions, HIXNY is the ideal organization to direct local physician practices toward the expert EHR consultative resources available through the Regional Extension Center program," said Paul Wilder, director of the New York eHealth Collaborative. "We expect many other physician practices in the Capital Region and Northern New York will take advantage of the program and learn how HIXNY's expertise is enabling a fully connected health care system for providers and patients."
To date, HIXNY has enrolled 40 eligible professionals in 10 practices in the program. HIXNY's outreach covers a 16-county region stretching from the Canadian border south to Greene and Columbia counties. To the west, HIXNY's Outreach Agent territory includes Otsego, Fulton and Montgomery counties.
Primary care providers interested in learning more about enrolling in the NYeC Regional Extension Center program should contact HIXNY at (518) 357-3689 or visit www.hixny.org.