TAFP launches HIT toolkit for family physicians

TAFP has made available a library of tools and resources to help family physicians access health information technology incentive payments available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, otherwise known as the federal stimulus bill. Physicians have the opportunity to earn up to $44,000 through Medicare or up to $63,750 through Texas Medicaid to help them at any stage in the process of “getting wired,” whether implementing HIT for the first time, upgrading an existing system, or improving an EHR to meet newly defined standards. The Health Information Toolkit for Family Physicians starts with a primer on the electronic health record incentive program. Additional resources list benefits of implementing health information technology, help physicians determine their readiness for new technology, summarize meaningful use requirements, provide sources to help select the right EHR, and explain how the Regional Extension Centers can assist physicians in the selection and implementation process.

Here is a list of the full set.

• EHR Incentive Program Basic Facts
• Five Things to Do NOW
• A Physician’s Guide to Working with the HIT Regional Extension Centers in Texas
• Why Implement an Electronic Health Record?
• Determinants of Successful EHR Implementation
• Patient Volume Information
• EHR Readiness Assessment Tool
• Summary of Meaningful Use Objectives for Eligible Professionals
• What Do Federal EHR Incentives and Meaningful Use Mean to You?
• EHR Vendor Selection and Contracting
• Vendor Selection Tools (Chart)
• Available HIT Tools and Resources (Links)
• Health Information Technology in Primary Care: A Bibliography

The California AFP developed the resources with grant support from The Physicians Foundation, and TAFP staff tailored them to Texas. Access the HIT toolkit at www.tafp.org/practice-resources/technology.