Dear Colleague,
Happy New Year to all our providers and partners! As we begin 2014, we are ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead in emerging Health IT, Meaningful Use (MU) and evolving healthcare delivery models for transforming and improving the quality of healthcare in Florida.
I’m writing to inform you of three important developments with the UCF REC Program, which may impact our working relationship with your organization:
First, I’m pleased to inform you that the UCF REC concluded 2013 by achieving a major milestone – 80% of our healthcare providers met the required criteria for Stage 1 MU attestation – Congratulations! We’re proud to have been able to assist more than 2,500 providers since 2010 and the number is growing daily, including specialists and dentists. Our Eligible Providers (EP’s) have qualified for over $25.5M in incentive payments, but more importantly we’re helping providers align more closely with the Triple Aim of Healthcare Reform – improving patient care, improving population health, and reducing costs.
Second, the federal grant program (which has funded the UCF REC support for your organization) ends on April 6, 2014. However, I want to assure you that the UCF REC fully intends to continue assisting healthcare providers in Florida, under a new arrangement. We will be offering additional services including: Electronic Health Record system evaluation, selection and implementation; Meaningful Use Stage 1 and 2 readiness and attestation support; privacy and security assessment; audit preparedness; ICD-10 training and billing auditing; and Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition and transformation services. In addition, we will soon be establishing data analytics and reporting capabilities to assist healthcare providers fulfill quality reporting needs.
Third, for EPs who are not scheduled to reach Stage 1 MU by April 6, 2014, the UCF REC may be able to secure a No Cost Extension of our original grant. If successful, we may be able to assist you (at no additional cost) through the completion of your Stage 1 MU journey. Additional details will be available in early March 2014.
Finally, as the UCF REC federal grant program nears its end, your Account Manager or a UCF REC representative from our office will be scheduling a time to meet with your practice representative(s) to discuss our post-grant services and capabilities, including: MU, PCMH, ICD-10 and other services we now offer, as well as a plan of work for the UCF REC to assist you achieve your HIT objectives in 2014 and beyond.
In closing, when we first began this major Health IT initiative, we understood that the journey to Meaningful Use was going to be hard work and challenging. Along the way, we’ve learned so much from working with you and we feel privileged to have become your “trusted advisor.” From the single physician practice, to large healthcare organizations and community partners, we wholeheartedly thank you for your support.
We look forward to continuing to help your organization, and we are counting on your support, as together we continue to lead quality improvement and healthcare transformation in Central Florida.
Best wishes for a productive and prosperous New Year.
Josue F. Rodas, MBA, MT (ASCP)
Executive Director
UCF College of Medicine
Regional Extension Center