Healthcare Software and Consulting

The Stimulus Bill may help you acquire your Case Management Software

In its more than 1,000 pages, the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 signed into law on February 17, 2009, includes important changes for health and human service organizations in addition to providing funds for projects to stimulate the economy. The following aspects of the bill are of immediate importance for the behavioral health and social service field:

Health information technology, via the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), was a key part of the legislation’s focus on health care system improvements. Of the $20 billion allocated for health care system improvements, $19 billion was designated for HITECH provisions. As a result of the provisions, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that approximately 90% of physicians and 70% of hospitals will be using comprehensive electronic health records by 2014.

The HITECH provisions address the need for standards for the electronic exchange and use of health information, training and sharing of best practices for using health information technology. The HITECH Act also provides incentives and grants to encourage providers to adopt health information technology.

Government Stimulus