V.I. Health Department Receives Funding for Health Information Technology Strategic Planning Including Development of an Electronic Health Record Provider Incentive Program

Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. said Wednesday that the Virgin Islands Department of Health (DOH) has received a grant of $231,786 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for development of a comprehensive territorial plan for Health Information Technology (HIT) including a program for accelerating provider adoption of electronic health records (EHRs). In conjunction with the Health Information Exchange for which the Territory has applied for separate grant funding, EHRs will bring about improved access to key health information - including but not limited to an individual’s health profile and history, diagnostic images, medical and surgical procedures, providers seen, etc. - within the territory, greatly enhance the quality of health care services provided to Virgin Islands citizens, and help reduce health care costs. “These goals are consistent with my Administration’s initiatives to transform health care delivery in the territory and with President Obama’s vision for national health care reform.” 

de Jongh explained that under the EHR incentive program, each eligible Medicaid provider that demonstrates meaningful use of EHR solutions and otherwise complies with federal and local laws will be able to receive financial incentives equal to 85 percent of net allowable EHR acquisition, implementation and operating expenditures up to $65,000 over five years. In addition to these financial incentives, providers will receive technical and implementation support from a Regional Extension Center; the Virgin Islands Medical Institute is currently working with DOH and several parties to secure a working partnership for a Regional Extension Center.

The governor underscored the significance of this grant award and commented as follows: “As we endeavor to modernize the territory’s health care delivery system, investments in information technology will be critical to this effort. The Medicaid Management Information System we are acquiring to bolster the operation of the Medical Assistance Program, the electronic health records for which we will establish a financial incentive program, the Health Information Exchange for which we have submitted a grant application, and the funding we will receive to extend broadband capabilities across the territory are all part of an integrated health information technology strategy. The Territory can and will be a showcase of how information technology can further health care reform. As such we will pursue our integrated strategy with great diligence, with the support of our providers. “Our public and private health care providers must now work collaboratively to ensure that the best technologies are agreed to and acquired to ensure that the Territory as a whole benefits from their use,” de Jongh said, adding that the grant is strictly for purposes of developing the HIT plan and the EHR incentive program and must be matched at a ten percent rate ($25,754) with local funds; additional federal funding will be requested in calendar year 2010 for actual funding of the EHR provider incentive program. 

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