California REC enrolls 1,000 primary care docs

ORANGE, CA – Officials of CalOptima Regional Extension Center (COREC) say they have enrolled 1,000 primary care providers to access services provided by COREC that will help them transition from paper to electronic medical records (EHRs).

COREC achieved the 1,000-member goal ahead of the project timeline, the organization announced in a written statement on Wednesday. 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."

According to Frank, 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 providers 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 corecoc.org. Providers are encouraged to share their experiences with transitioning to EHRs to learn from each other.

According to COREC, 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.

[See also: Q&A with AAFP's Steven Waldren on meaningful use.]

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