Nation’s Largest Publicly Operated Health Plan Champions Health IT Adoption in L.A. County Safety Net
LOS ANGELES – To mark the important role health information technology (health IT) plays in improving health care, L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest publicly operated health plan, joins others across the U.S. to celebrate National Health Information Technology (NHIT) Week, September 15-19, 2014.
L.A. Care, through its many initiatives, has been a leader in designing and implementing health IT improvements in Medi-Cal that are found among commercial and Medicare providers. This has enhanced the ability of safety net providers to better serve some of the most vulnerable populations in the county.
L.A. Care has invested $7.4 million in grants to promote the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), health information exchange, immunization and disease registries, electronic prescribing, eConsult, and Blue Button in its provider network and throughout L.A. County. Key programs include:
- HITEC-LA: Technical assistance to help L.A. County providers meaningfully use EHRs
- eConsult: Online platform that enables primary care providers and specialists to securely share health information and discuss patient care
- Health Center Controlled Network: Technical assistance to help L.A. County Federally Qualified Health Centers reach meaningful use Stage 2 and achieve patient-centered medical home recognition
- Blue Button: Website feature that allows patients to easily view and download their health information
"At L.A. Care, we are helping Los Angeles County's health care safety net providers integrate the latest health information technology into their operations to help them achieve the best possible patient outcomes," said L.A. Care Chief Executive Officer Howard A. Kahn. "Our participation in National Health IT week underscores our commitment to bring these improvements to underserved communities throughout our region."
To bring awareness to the value of health IT in improving care, L.A. Care will celebrate NHIT Week with several fun and educational activities. For additional information about NHIT Week, visit www.healthitweek.org.