The HITECH Act authorizes a Health Information Technology Extension Program.  The extension program consists of Regional Extension Centers (RECs) and a national Health Information Technology Research Center (HITRC).  

What is the HITRC?

The HITRC will gather information on effective practices and help the RECs work with one another and with relevant stakeholders to identify and share best practices in EHR adoption, effective use, and provider support.

What are the Regional Extension Centers (RECs)?

The regional centers will offer technical assistance, guidance, and information on best practices to support and accelerate health care providers’ efforts to become meaningful users of Electronic Health Records (EHRs).

Specifically, RECs will:

• Provide training and support services to assist doctors and other providers in adopting EHRs
• Offer information and guidance to help with EHR implementation
• Give technical assistance as needed

A regional center will support at least 100,000 primary care providers, through participating non-profit organizations, in achieving meaningful use of EHRs and enabling nationwide health information exchange.

In the State of Texas there are four RECs – representing four geographic regions comprising the majority of the State that were awarded funding on April 28, 2010.  The four RECs are:

Gulf Coast REC

Texas RECs