Purdue University has been given $12 million in funding which will be put towards its efforts to help foster the adoption and implementation of healthcare IT.


Awarded through the <a href="/directory/american-recovery-and-reinvestment-act-arra" target="_blank" class="directory-item-link">American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the money – part of a sum disbursed to 32 non-profit organizations – will be channeled toward Purdue's establishment of regional extension centers, which will assist smaller health providers in choosing and putting to use software for electronic medical records and e-prescribing. The four-year program gets under way in April.


"Electronic health records technology has heretofore only been affordable by large practices and healthcare systems, but through the federal initiative, new options are being developed to enable adoption by practices of all sizes," says Dave McKinnis, the director of the university's Technical Assistance Program (TAP), which offers resources to Indiana business, industry and government to help implement new technologies. "Purdue's expertise in health information technology puts us in a great position to help healthcare providers engage and utilize these new resources and ultimately boost the health of patients throughout Indiana."


Purdue's regional extension center will offer advice and resources to doctors, nurses, and clinicians at small practices across the Hoosier State, especially those offering care to underserved populations. "With this funding, we will help them select products and provide training on how to use the technology to its fullest potential to improve patient care," says Mary Ann Sloan, the director of Purdue's Healthcare Technical Assistance Program (HealthcareTAP).


Steve Witz, director of the university's Regenstrief Center for Healthcare Engineering, says the initiative is crucial to effective adoption of healthcare IT. "Success requires much more than just getting the software to the healthcare providers," he says. "Training the physicians, nurses, physician's assistants and staff of the practice is critical to reaping the rewards of the new technology. We need to be sure it is being used to the extent that it significantly improves patient care."