More Cash for Rural Hospitals

Rural and critical-access hospitals have until Tuesday to apply for a 50 percent boost in federal financial assistance for getting electronic health records (EHRs) up and running.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is making available another $12.2 million in federal money to help with EHR implementation. Each hospital can receive up to $6,000 in additional money, for a total of $18,000.

ONC estimates that 1,782 hospitals are eligible to apply for the extra cash. Funding comes through the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health, or HITECH, Act. The nation's 62 Regional Extension Centers (RECs) are distributing the money. RECs offer technical assistance as hospitals and practices select, install and begin using electronic health records to improve health care.

After the first rounds of funding last year, REC leaders pointed out "significant" challenges facing small and rural hospitals that sought to implement EHRs, according to the grant announcement. The additional grants are an effort to help hospitals tackle those challenges.

Grant awards will be announced Feb. 4.