Healthcare Glossary

Quality Quest for Health of Illinois

IL-HITREC FAQ

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Illinois Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center FAQ

 

Q.   Who is Illinois HITREC?

A.   IL-HITREC is administered by Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. In order to provide local services throughout the State of Illinois, delivery of these services is provided through satellite offices which include, Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council in Northeast Illinois, Northern Illinois University in Northwest Illinois, Quality Quest for Health of Illinois in Central Illinois, and Southern Illinois Healthcare Council in Southern Illinois. IL-HITREC also collaborates with the Chicago Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (CHITREC), administered by Northwestern University, which serves priority primary care providers in the City of Chicago.

Additional IL-HITREC collaborators include:

  • Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network
    • Illinois Hospital Association
    • Illinois Public Health Institute
    • Illinois State University
    • Northern Illinois Physicians for Connectivity
    • University of Illinois at Chicago

 

Q.   What are the Health Information Technology (HIT) Regional Extension Centers?

A.   The HIT Regional Extension Centers were established as part of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, (Title IV in Division B of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) authorizing financial incentives to Medicare and Medicaid providers’ who achieve meaningful use of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology and are funded through as award from the Office of the National Coordinator, Department of Health and Human Services (Grant 90RC0023/01). The purpose of the Regional Extension Centers (RECs) is to provide education, outreach, and technical assistance to priority primary care providers in their region to assist them in selecting, successfully implementing, and achieving meaningful use of certified EHR products. 

 

Q.   Who are priority primary care providers (PPCPs)?

A.   As defined by the HITECH Act, priority primary care providers are physicians (Internal Medicine, Family Practice, OB/GYN, Pediatrics) and other healthcare professionals (PA, NP, Nurse Midwife) with prescribing privileges in the following settings:

  • Small group practices (10 or less providers)
  • PPCPs employed by public or critical assess hospitals
  • Community health centers and rural health clinics
  • Other ambulatory settings that predominantly serve uninsured, underinsured, and medically underserved populations *

* ONC is currently working to define this category

 

Q.   Will providers that are not considered priority primary care be able to utilize ILHITREC services?

A.   ILHITREC is committed to meeting the needs of all providers in the state of Illinois who wish to achieve meaningful use with their EHRs.  While government subsidies are being prioritized for priority primary care providers, ILHITREC will have opportunities for other providers to access the information and resources of the center. 

 

Q:  How is the REC set up in Illinois?

A:  There are two RECs in Illinois, one providing services in the City of Chicago, and the other providing services for the rest of the State of Illinois. The City of Chicago REC is administered by Northwestern University who will handle outreach for the 606** zip codes in Chicago.

IL-HITREC is administered by Northern Illinois University with satellite delivery offices in DeKalb, Chicago, Peoria and Sauget. Below is a list of counties covered by the Illinois Regional Extension Center and each satellite office:

Illinois Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb: All Illinois counties less 606** zip codes

Northeast Satellite Office at Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council in Chicago:  Cook, DuPage, Kankakee, Lake, and Will (excluding 606** zip codes)

Northwest Satellite Office at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb:   Boone, Bureau, Carroll, DeKalb, Grundy, Jo Daviess, Henry, Kane, Kendall, LaSalle, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Putnam, Rock Island, Stephenson, Whiteside, and Winnebago

 Central Satellite Office at Quality Quest for Health of Illinois in Peoria:  Adams, Brown, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Iroquois, Knox, Livingston, Logan, Macon, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McLean, Menard, Mercer, Morgan, Moultrie, Peoria, Piatt, Pike, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Shelby, Stark, Tazewell, Vermillion, Warren, and Woodford

 Southern Satellite Office at the Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation in Sauget:  Alexander, Bond, Calhoun, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Cumberland, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Franklin, Gallatin, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Johnson, Lawrence, Macoupin, Madison, Marion, Massac, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Richland, Saline, St. Clair, Union, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, White, and Williamson

 

Q.  What services will the REC provide?

 A.  An overview of the services includes, but is not limited to:

 Pre-Implementation

  • Vendor Selection
  • Individual or group purchasing options
  • Site assessment and readiness survey

 EHR Implementation

  • Project management support
  • Onsite technical assistance
  • Onsite workflow analysis and redesign

 Post Implementation

  • Update roles and responsibilities for clinical and support staff
  • ePrescribing
  • Quality reporting assistance

 Exchange of Health Information

  • Technical assistance to ensure continuity of care
  • Interface assistance

Privacy and Security

  • Provide document templates
  • Provide best practice models

 

Q.   How will ILHITREC assist providers in achieving meaningful use?

A.   General and technical assistance will be provided to all participating practices.  A customized roadmap will be developed for each participant based on the results of a readiness assessment that will be completed at the early stages of participation.  Participants will receive tailored assistance for achieving meaningful use based on their assessment.

 

Q.  What Medicare and Medicaid incentives are available for purchase of electronic healthcare systems?

A.  The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus package includes financial incentives for healthcare providers that achieve meaningful use with an EHR.  Medicare incentives can provide up to $44,000 per provider* over 5 years, and Medicaid incentives, up to $63,750 per provider* over 6 years.

 * Eligible PPCPs can receive the maximum reimbursement by meeting meaningful use requirements by the fourth quarter of 2011. After this date, reimbursements will represent a portion of this amount.

 

Q.  Who is eligible for the incentives?

A.  Beginning in 2011, priority primary care providers who meet the following criteria will be eligible for the incentives:

  • Use of a certified EHR to achieve meaningful use;
  • Exchange health information to improve the quality of care; and
  • Report on quality measures. 

Beginning in 2015, CMS reimbursement penalties will occur for not meeting the above criteria. 

 

Q.  How do I participate in this program?

A.  Please fill out the qualification survey at www.ilhitrec.org.  If you have questions, please contact Joy Duling, HIE and REC Project Directgor at joy@qqhie.com or call 309-202-1599.


Medicare is a national health insurance program for people age 65 or older that is paid for by the federal government.  Medicare has four parts.  Part A helps cover the basic costs of medical care, surgery, and mental hospital care.  Part B is extra insurance, and while the government pays for part of it people in the program pay insurance premiums, too.  Part C is a choice to get Parts A and B through a private insurance plan.  Part D helps cover prescription drug costs.  Medicare is considered an entitlement program, since anyone age 65 or older is eligible, and currently covers over 40 million people in the United States.
Medicaid is a health insurance program for lower-income families and the disabled.  It is paid for partly by the federal government and partly by the state in which an individual resides.  The criteria for Medicaid eligibility vary by state.
Medicare is a national health insurance program for people age 65 or older that is paid for by the federal government.  Medicare has four parts.  Part A helps cover the basic costs of medical care, surgery, and mental hospital care.  Part B is extra insurance, and while the government pays for part of it people in the program pay insurance premiums, too.  Part C is a choice to get Parts A and B through a private insurance plan.  Part D helps cover prescription drug costs.  Medicare is considered an entitlement program, since anyone age 65 or older is eligible, and currently covers over 40 million people in the United States.
Medicaid is a health insurance program for lower-income families and the disabled.  It is paid for partly by the federal government and partly by the state in which an individual resides.  The criteria for Medicaid eligibility vary by state.
Medicare is a national health insurance program for people age 65 or older that is paid for by the federal government.  Medicare has four parts.  Part A helps cover the basic costs of medical care, surgery, and mental hospital care.  Part B is extra insurance, and while the government pays for part of it people in the program pay insurance premiums, too.  Part C is a choice to get Parts A and B through a private insurance plan.  Part D helps cover prescription drug costs.  Medicare is considered an entitlement program, since anyone age 65 or older is eligible, and currently covers over 40 million people in the United States.
Medicaid is a health insurance program for lower-income families and the disabled.  It is paid for partly by the federal government and partly by the state in which an individual resides.  The criteria for Medicaid eligibility vary by state.