Key members of the HHS Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology (HIT) joined NRHA’s Rural HIT Task Force’s second annual meeting today in Arlington, Va.

“They were specifically interested in hearing from our members serving on the frontlines of rural health,” said Alan Morgan, NRHA CEO. “It was a wonderful opportunity for rural HIT stakeholders to speak with ONC senior leadership about what they need to be successful.”

NRHA also presented the results of its nationwide critical access hospital survey on meaningful use readiness, which demonstrated to ONC staff that only about 30 percent of rural hospitals would presently qualify for meaningful use incentives.

ONC is the principal federal entity charged with coordination of nationwide efforts to implement and use advanced HIT and the electronic exchange of health information.

“It was important for them to hear innovative rural telemedicine success stories as well as our concerns and the daily challenges rural health providers face,” Morgan said. “They spent quite awhile discussing the issues and really valued our members’ perspectives. We’re grateful for ONC’s time and efforts and look forward to continuing this partnership.”

NRHA’s Rural HIT Task Force is supported by a grant from the Helmsley Charitable Trust.

National Rural Health Association
521 E. 63rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64110-3329

Phone – 816.756.3140 Fax – 816.756.3144