State Offers $6 Million in Health Info Tech Grants

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has announced more than $6 million in grants to promote health information technology, medical education and coordinated care programs to improve California’s health care delivery system for underserved populations. The grant funding comes from a total of $50 million in charitable investments required by the state from PacificCare Health Systems when it merged with UnitedHealth Group in 2005. “These projects provide an important step toward fixing our broken health care system by giving consumers and medical providers better access to telemedicine technology and personal health records,” said Gov. Schwarzenegger. “Expanding health information technology is a major component to comprehensive health care reform: it improves access to underserved Californians, increases patient safety and reduces overall health care costs.” The funding will go to health care providers, clinics and community groups to develop telemedicine and electronic health record systems for hospitals and clinics. It will also go towards gang violence prevention and improving access to mental health services.