business
Health IT work force gets a boost
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted May 9, 2011
More than 2,000 health information technology professionals are ready to join the work force after graduating in April under programs run under the Community College Consortia to Educate Health IT Professionals. That number is expected to rise to more than 3,000 graduates by the end of the summer.
The program is part of a broader initiative started by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology aimed at reducing the shortage of health IT professionals needed to help practices and hospitals become meaningful users of electronic medical record systems. The ONC estimates that 50,000 health IT professionals will be needed nationwide.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 appropriated $2 billion for health IT programs, which included the work force development programs.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/05/09/bibf0509.htm.












