To increase adoption of health information technology (HIT), Rhode Island has a Regional Extension Center (REC) serving physicians within the state. The Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI) was created under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act’s Health Information Technology Extension Program. Rhode Island Quality Institute provides physicians with education and technical assistance in electronic health record (EHR) systems, which improves the quality and value of care they furnish.
Purchasing certified EHR software for your practice is the initial step of achieving meaningful use of EHR software. Choosing a suitable EHR software can be a confusing and time-consuming task due to the vast number and complexity of the available vendors. The Rhode Island regional extension center can play an important role in guiding physicians through the implementation and use of EHR software. The RIQI is also dedicated to the broader long-term goal of supporting the development of Health Information Exchanges.
Some Regional Extension Centers have also chosen to offer a list of prequalified or selected EHR vendors (also known as preferred EHR vendors). These EHR vendors include a select group of EMR (electronic medical records) companies that underwent a qualification and selection process and have demonstrated a commitment to Rhode Island’s HIT mission. In order to be selected, the preferred electronic health records vendors agreed to a higher base level of functionality and interoperability of their software. Additionally, for Rhode Island Quality Institute participants, the electronic health records vendors have facilited quick and smooth adoption of this software through discounted pricing and standardized terms and conditions. In many cases, Regional Extension Center members can receive group purchasing discounts from them.
Below is the list of preferred EHR vendors recommended by the Rhode Island Quality Institute regional extension center:
- Allscripts – Professional
- Allscripts – MyWay
- Amazing Charts
- NextGen
- Connect(x) HealthWare – Chart(x) EHR
- CureMD
- eClinical Works
- Enable Healthcare Inc. – MDnet
- GE Healthcare – Centricity EMR
- Greenway – Prime Suite
- Ingenix – **Now Optum
- Medical Informatics Engineering (MIE) – WebChartNow
- Medinformatix
- Polaris Medical Management – EpiChart
- Success EHS