In 2010, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology granted more than $250 million to 17 “beacon communities” nationwide that exemplify the positive impact of healthcare IT on population health.

The grants will support the Beacon Community Cooperative Agreement Program and be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Combined with other federal healthcare IT programs announced this year, they total 75 percent of the $2 billion allotted under ARRA for healthcare IT, according to Blumenthal.

According to Farzad Mostashari, an ONC adviser, ONC launched the program because, "2015 is a long time to wait to see what the impact nationwide of an eco system where providers and hospitals and others are meaningfully using health IT and exchanging information."

On May 4, ONC announced $220 million in Beacon awards, which went to 15 communities:
Community Services Council of Tulsa, Tulsa, Okla;
Delta Health Alliance, Inc., Stoneville, Miss.;
Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, Brewer Maine; 
Geisinger Clinic, Danville, Pa.;
HealthInsight, Salt Lake City, Utah;
Indiana Health Information Exchange, INC., Indianapolis, Ind.;
Inland Northwest Health Services, Spokane, Wash.;
Louisiana Public Health Institute, New Orleans, La.; 
Mayo Clinic Rochester, d/b/a Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minn.;
Rhode Island Quality Institute, Providence, R.I.;
Rocky Mountain Health Maintenance Organization, Grand Junction, Colo.;
Southern Piedmont Community Care Plan, Inc., Concord, N.C.;
The Regents of the University of California, San Diego, San Diego, Calif.;
University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo, Hawaii;
and Western New York Clinical Information Exchange, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y.

On Sept. 2, ONC announced an additional two awardees, totaling $30 million in grants: The Greater Cincinnati HealthBridge, Inc. in Cincinnati and Southeastern Michigan Health Association in Detroit.

According to National Coordinator for Health Information Technology David Blumenthal, communities were chosen from urban and rural areas, government and nonprofit organizations. All winners were selected because they used healthcare IT to successfully reduce smoking rates, hospital readmission rates, or the number of people with obesity and high blood pressure in their communities.

"The Beacon program uses health information technology tools to link health providers and other community-wide resources in new and innovative ways," said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.  "Under the Beacon program, communities first identify leading health problems that are unique to their community, develop innovative, health IT-related strategies, and work together through community collaborations to implement their strategies and track their performance."

The bulk of the beacon grant money went to the awardees, while $10 million was set aside to cover administrative costs and $5 million will fund technical assistance, Blumenthal said.