Georgia Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (HITREC) aids physicians in Georgia in the adoption of health information technology (HIT). The purpose of the Georgia Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center is to assist physicians with meaningful use of electronic health record (EHR) systems to improve their quality of care. This Regional Extension Center was created under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act’s Health Information Technology Extension Program.
For physicians, the great number of EHR vendors and the complexity of available software make choosing a suitable EHR software a daunting and time consuming. The Georgia Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center can play an important role in guiding physicians through the selection process, as well as the EHR software implementation process. Supporting Health Information Exchanges development is also a long-term goal of the Regional Extension Center.
A selected list of preferred EHR vendors, which were carefully selected out of a group of EMR (electronic medical record) companies, may be offered by some Regional Extension Centers. These preferred EHR vendors have demonstrated a commitment to the health information technology mission. The chosen electronic health record vendors offer greater functionality that enables practices to better participate in the Health Information Exchange and achieve meaningful use of EMR software. Additionally, these EHR vendors facilitate quick and smooth adoption of EHR software for these Regional Extension Assistance Center participants by offering discounted prices and standardized terms and conditions.