ORANGE, CA--(Marketwire - Mar 28, 2012) - One thousand primary care providers have joined the CalOptima Regional Extension Center (COREC) to access services that will help them transition from paper to electronic medical records (EHRs). COREC achieved the 1,000-member goal ahead of the project timeline. COREC's membership includes primary care providers in solo and small practices, as well as providers affiliated with leading medical groups. A number of COREC members are among the first in the country to achieve meaningful use of EHRs, enabling them to collect incentive payments under a nationwide program to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of health care through EHRs.
"We are extremely proud of the way Orange County physicians have responded to our program," said COREC Director Karynsue Frank. "Our role is to make expert technical assistance available to doctors who want to transform the way they practice medicine by becoming meaningful users of health information technology. We are committed to helping each of our providers achieve the requirements necessary for receiving incentive payments. This isn't easy for a busy medical practice, but those who have made the transition -- and their patients -- all agree that it is worth the effort."
COREC pairs physicians and other qualified health care providers with technical experts who guide them through every step necessary to incorporate the EHR into their daily practice. The organization also updates providers on the latest federal rules and regulations and helps them achieve milestones required for federal incentive payments. If they meet the federal requirements, providers caring for Medicare patients can receive up to $44,000 over five years, while providers caring for Medi-Cal patients can receive up to $63,750.
COREC holds seminars and vendor fairs to keep providers abreast of the latest policy and technical developments. Online educational resources are available at www.corecoc.org. Providers are encouraged to share their experiences with transitioning to EHRs to learn from each other.
Several leading Orange County health care organizations have been instrumental in promoting COREC services to their providers, including the Orange County Medical Association, Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations, Institute for Healthcare Advancement, Coastal Community Hospital, CHOC Health Alliance, Family Choice Medical Group and United Care Medical Group.
About COREC
The CalOptima Regional Extension Center (COREC) is a nonprofit, public venture by the CalOptima Foundation established to serve and support the community of clinical providers in Orange County in becoming adept and meaningful users of electronic health record systems. COREC has fostered the collaboration of health information technology specialists to develop strategies and practices that streamline adoption of electronic health records. COREC is a federally designated Regional Extension Center funded by the Office of the National Coordinator, Department of Health and Human Services, Award Number: 90RC0066.
Contact Information
For more information, contact:
Karynsue Frank
COREC Director
Phone: 714-347-5786
Email: Email Contact