ARRA Resources

ARRA Information and Resources

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will provide incentives to healthcare providers that become meaningful users of certified electronic health records. Attaining meaningful use will require the use of certified EHR vendors, engagement in information exchange, adherence to various privacy and security standards, quality measure data submission, and other requirements as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Below are resources to (1) help providers understand the evolving ARRA rules and (2) assist providers with their HIT implementation efforts.

ARRA and Meaningful Use Information

• ONC Blog: Health IT Buzz http://www.healthit.gov/buzz-blog/
• ONC Certified Vendor List Link http://onc-chpl.force.com/ehrcert
• CMS EHR Incentive Program Site http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentiveprograms/
• CMS Final HIT Incentive Rule http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-17207.pdf
• Final Rule on Standards, implementation specifications, and certificationhttp://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-17210.pdf
• ONC Proposed Certification Rule (http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_11673_910783_0_0_18/ONC_NPRM_FINAL.pdf) 03-02-10
• CMS Proposed Rule for Electronic Health Record Incentive Program (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/E9-31217.pdf) 12-30-09
• ONC Interim Final Rule on Standards, Implementation Specifications and Certification (http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/E9-31216.pdf 12-30-09
• The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h1enr.pdf)
• HHS HIT Website  (http://healthit.hhs.gov/)
• HIT Policy Committee’s Meaningful Use Matrix (http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_10741_888532_0_0_18/FINAL%20MU%20RECOMMENDATIONS%20TABLE.pdf)
• American Hospital Association HIT Website (http://www.aha.org/aha_app/issues/HIT/index.jsp)
• CMS ARRA FAQs  (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/factsheet.asp?Counter=3466&intNumPerPage=10&checkDate=&checkKey=&srchType=1&numDays=3500&srchOpt=0&srchData=&keywordType=All&chkNewsType=6&intPage=&showAll=&pYear=&)
• Rural Health Resource Center’s HIT Incentive Paper (http://www.ruralcenter.org/documents/HIT%20Incentives%20and%20State%20Grant%20Opportunities_ARRA.pdf)
• Wisconsin Hospital Association’s ARRA Toolkit (http://www.wha.org/toolKit/arra.pdf)
• AHIMA’s ARRA and HITECH Information Page (http://www.ahima.org/arra/index.asp)
• Association of Medical Directors of Information Systems (AMDIS) Meaningful Use Website (http://meaningfuluse.org/Home.aspx)
• Healthcare IT News ARRA Website (http://ehr.healthcareitnews.com/)

HIT Certification

• ONC Certified Vendor List Link http://onc-chpl.force.com/ehrcert
• Certification Commission for Health Information Technology(http://www.cchit.org/)
• CCHIT Inpatient Certified Vendor List(http://www.cchit.org/products/Inpatient)
• CCHIT Ambulatory Certified Vendor List (http://www.cchit.org/products/Ambulatory)

Information Exchange

• National Health Information Network Watch (Healthcare IT News) (http://www.nhinwatch.com/)
• Markle Foundation Connecting for Health   (http://www.connectingforhealth.org/)
• Health Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP)(http://www.hitsp.org/)
• eHealth Initiative Information Exchange Toolkit (http://www.ehealthinitiative.org/tools.html)

Privacy and Security

• HHS HIPAA Information Site (http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrative/index.html)
• HIPAA Security Rule (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/securitystandard/downloads/securityfinalrule.pdf)
• Privacy and Security Standards Applicable to ARRA (from HIT Standards Committee)(http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_11113_880497_0_0_18/PRIVACY%20AND%20SECURITY%20STANDARDS%20APPLICABLE%20TO%20ARRA%20REQUIREMENTS.pdf)
• HIPAA Collaborative of Wisconsin (includes draft  policies)(http://www.hipaacow.org/home/home.aspx)

HIT Implementation Resources and Toolkits

• AHRQ Rural HIT Implementation Toolbox (http://healthit.ahrq.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1135&mode=2&cid=DA_1251349&p_path=/DA_1251349
• AHRQ National Resource Center on HIT (http://healthit.ahrq.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=650&PageID=0&parentname=ObjMgr&parentid=106&mode=2&dummy=
• HRSA HIT Website (http://www.hrsa.gov/healthit/)
• Stratis Health HIT Toolkits (http://www.stratishealth.org/expertise/healthit/index.html)
• Rural Assistance Center Health Information Technology Resource Page (http://www.raconline.org/info_guides/healthtech/)

HIT Adoption Statistics/Reports

• HIMSS Analytics Database (http://www.himssanalytics.org/hc_providers/emr_adoption.asp)
• Wisconsin Hospital Association’s HIT Adoption Report (http://www.wha.org/qualityAndPatientSafety/pdf/HITreport_8-2009.pdf)
• Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative’s Density of HIT Adoption in Wisconsin Rural Hospitals Report (http://www.rwhc.com/Papers/Density%20of%20HIT%20Adoption%20Report-2008%2002-23-09.pdf)