Extension center funding needs more explaining

In response to Joseph Conn's "HHS explains regional centers funding plan":

The statement "Operating costs for the regional extension centers are expected to run from $500,000 to $750,000 per year" misrepresents what was said on the call. That is the fixed amount that the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology will allocate to each regional extension center for so-called "core" services (essentially, educational outreach).

The balance (and lion's share) of each extension center's operational budget will be directly proportional to the number of priority providers that the regional extension center achieves meaningful use with by the end of two years.

The ONC will give the regional extension center $5,000 per meaningful use "head" (my quote). So, if the extension center achieves meaningful use with 1,000 doctors, they'll get an additional $5 million from the ONC above the $1 million to $1.5 million that they got from the ONC for core services.

Bob Elson, M.D.

Healthcare program managerRegional stimulus officeOneCommunityPresidentClinical Systems DesignShaker Heights, Ohio

What do you think? Submit a letter to Your Views. Please include your name, title, company and hometown. Health IT Strategist reserves the right to edit all submissions.

Also, please share your thoughts by taking our latest HITS reader poll.