Spokane7
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May 4, 2010 in City
INHS receives $15.7 million grant for diabetes network
A $15.7 million federal grant is expected to bolster medical services for diabetics living in Eastern Washington.
Spokane-based Inland Northwest Health Services is receiving the federal stimulus funds and intends to work with rural clinics to set up information exchange systems that will enable doctors, specialists and hospitals to share electronic medical records.
Many regional hospitals have been participating in such technology for years, said Jac Davies, an INHS program director with responsibilities for the grant. What’s been missing is bringing individual doctors and clinics aboard.
The grant will serve as seed money for the project, which includes putting some computer hardware and software in doctors’ offices. The money also will pay for training and setting up a system to track groups of patients with chronic illnesses who are treated by multiple doctors, Davies said.
Such patients are more likely to receive redundant medical tests and other services and suffer from medication errors.
The focus on diabetes strikes at one of the nation’s fastest-growing health problems.
The grant was among 15 health information awards totaling $220 million announced Tuesday.
It’s a field within health care that is expected to quickly grow.
The projects receiving grants are expected to create dozens of new jobs — with average salaries of about $70,000 — in each of the 15 communities. The work is expected to speed the development of a nationwide health information technology system that could one day employ tens of thousands of people, according to a press release from the White House.
There were 130 applications for the grants.
Parishes giving $1.5 million toward settling sex cases 
prisonplanet on May 04 at 3:13 p.m.
electronic tracking system more like it welcome to new world order
Jerrod Smith on May 04 at 3:41 p.m.
I agree with prisionplanet
Nothing like a little surveillance
Check this out - Your Checking Account To Be Monitored
http://talkspokane.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=worldnewsandevents&thread=200&page=1
kamm on May 04 at 3:55 p.m.
Guys…
Take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
Controlling diabetes will decrease the # of people on m/caid, medicare and disabilty, allowing them to work and pay taxes.
And read ‘1984’; we’ve been monitored for decades. Get over it or get off the grid…it’s your choice.
No_Forked_Tongues on May 04 at 4:12 p.m.
This is not “controlling” diabetes. Its information sharing which already exists.
I bet they dont tie the VA into this kludge.
I’ll do it for $2.5 million and save a whole bunch of money.
What its doing is driving EVERYONE to go electronic Medical records. Some small Dr’.s offices cant afford to spend that kind of $ and still do paper records.
Big Brother in some respects.
realdeal on May 04 at 8:16 p.m.
Two of you need to go back to your dark little rooms and watch out for the black helicopters. Nicely put kamm. Exchanging medical information between doctors will help get better treatment for the patient. You show up knocked out at an ER. Wouldn’t you like the ER doc to know of any prior medical conditions like diabetes. Not everyone has a medical alert braclett.
No_Forked_Tongues - get your info correct. There is stimulus money to allow providers to go to electronic medical records at little to no cost to them. Oh wait, better yet, that money is in Spokane. Gee wonder if that helps the local economy at all or did you miss the part about job creation.
No_Forked_Tongues on May 04 at 10:31 p.m.
realdeal when I see the ads posting for those jobs in the LOCAL paper, I will believe it. It will be contractors whom are brought to spokane and will leave when the work is over. Perhaps you missed the part about where this is not a continuous funded program, but a one time good deal.
Your rock is calling.