$220 million in grants for health IT network

The Obama administration is moving quickly to develop a national network of electronic patient records. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced plans to award $220 million in health IT grants that will be the forerunner to developing a national network of patient networks. The grants mark the single largest investment the department has made in health IT, nextgov.com reports.

The grants will be awarded to 15 communities that will serve as guides for the development of a national health IT. The network will provide every American with an electronic medical record by 2014.

The grants also will provide a network that coordinates efforts with the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, which are currently working to create an e-health system for military personnel and retired veterans.

All of this should go a long way toward linking the nation's healthcare systems.

For more on the HHS grants:
- see this nextgov.com article

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