The Office of the National Coordinator has made an additional $12,228,000 available to regional extension centers (RECs) for assistance to critical access hospitals and rural hospitals.

According to the grant notice the supplement will be available to recipients of the REC awards and is intended to ensure the provision of services to critical access hospitals (CAHs) and rural hospitals in the RECs' service area.

The notice said the award will be supplemental to the REC's existing award, and the plans, metrics and reporting requirements will be included in the REC's cooperative agreement.

The ONC has anticipated that each REC will need a total of $18,000 per CAH and rural hospital that it supports through this program, beyond the funding awarded in the base REC grant. RECs in Group A will be awarded $18,000/eligible CAH and rural hospital approved for funding. RECs in Group B will be awarded $6,000/previously approved CAH and Rural Hospital to bring the total amount of CAH/Rural Hospital supplemental funding from $12,000/hospital to $18,000/hospital, according to the notice.

Applicants have until Jan. 12 to apply for the grant. The ONC expects the number of awards to be 48.