NC Regional Extension Center

The NC AHEC program, under its Regional Extension Center grant with the Office of the National Coordinator, has fully staffed all nine AHEC regions of the state with high caliber personnel with a depth of knowledge and experience in electronic health record (EHR) implementation, EHR technical expertise and clinical and process improvement. All new staff have attended detailed training classes and are working in the field in an on-site consultative model to assist priority primary care practices across the state. These staff are prepared to assist practices in selecting and implementing EHRs or analyzing what current EHR systems they may already have to see if they are ready to meet the federal government’s definition of meaningful use within the Medicare or Medicaid incentive programs. Additionally, each AHEC in the state is equipped with staff who are experienced in improving clinical outcomes and are available to assist practices in identifying ways to improve their delivery and performance in care by optimizing the use of their new technology and achieving recognition as a patient centered medical home.

A Vendor Selection Committee has been assembled and includes physicians, practice managers and consultants with expertise in the clinical use, business use and privacy and security concerns of electronic health records. NC AHEC will use this committee to conduct a thorough and unbiased review of EHR systems to enable the preparation of a preferred vendor list for reference by providers in the Regional Extension Center program statewide.

At this time, the NC AHEC’s Regional Extension Center has recruited 50% of the providers in their target group of 3,500 priority primary care providers. Currently, the services provided by the Regional Extension Center through the regional AHECs are free of charge, which is made possible by the funding of the federal grant. However, in the future the NC AHEC program may need to require a fee for these services to enable sustainability of the program. All priority primary care providers (less than ten physicians, or serving a rural area, or serving an underserved population) should apply as soon as possible to benefit from these services while there is no charge. To apply for services, primary care practices should visit www.ahecqualitysource.com to complete an application.