A new round of healthcare information technology funding will help improve and support Colorado nursing jobs (Click here) and many other medical-related positions throughout the state.
The Colorado Beacon Consortium has been awarded an $11.8 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funding will be used to implement more healthcare information technology in an effort to help improve chronic disease care in the Grand Junction area.
"The Colorado Beacon Consortium, led by Rocky Mountain Health Plans, has been a national model for using healthcare information technology to improve medical care in the Grand Junction community," Gov. Bill Ritter said. "I am proud that the Recovery Act is investing in a new program that will improve the health of the Western Slope community. This Recovery Act grant will create jobs while laying the foundation for long term improvements in healthcare for Colorado."
The CBC includes Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Mesa County Independent Physicians' Practice Association, Quality Health Network and St. Mary's Regional Medical Center.
The funding will be used to collect more clinical data and: improve care for patients with diabetes, heart disease and hypertension; increase smoking cessation counseling; and reduce unnecessary use of emergency department care and hospital re-admission.
"We are excited about this grant and eager to build upon Western Colorado's reputation as an innovative pioneer that serves as an example of effective collaboration among community-based, not-for-profit health care organizations and service agencies," Steve ErkenBrack, an Executive Committee member of the Colorado Beacon Consortium and president and CEO of Rocky Mountain Health Plans, said.
In 2005, the Grand Junction community adopted the Quality Health Network, a coordinated healthcare information technology system. The majority of physicians and pharmacies, as well as two hospitals in the area are connect to the network, which includes data for more than 40,000 patients.
"The Beacon Grant is affirmation of the leadership and vision by healthcare community leaders in Western Colorado," Dick Thompson, CEO of Quality Health Network, said. "We appreciate this opportunity and look forward to sharing our progress with the nation."
Other communities throughout the nation are working to establish similar networks in an effort to improve patient care. A total of $2 billion from the ARRA will be invested to implement more healthcare information technology and provide an electronic health record for each person by 2014.
