NextGen partners with CalHIPSO to help primary care providers achieve Meaningful Use

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: QSII) and a leading provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions, announced today a partnership with California Health Information Partnership and Services Organizations (CalHIPSO), the regional extension center (REC) for all of California except Los Angeles and Orange County, to help primary care providers across the state achieve Meaningful Use.

The agreement is part of a significant expansion of NextGen Healthcare's REC partnership program. This program now encompasses 90 percent of RECs that have completed vendor selection, established group purchasing options or chosen to remain neutral. The program also offers expanded support for the underserved critical access hospital market.

"We are very pleased with the outcome of our EHR vendor negotiation process. We have been able to leverage the volume of providers who are joining the Regional Extension Center to ensure the best possible value and functionality for our members. We look forward to working with NextGen Healthcare and our other EHR vendor partners over the coming years," said Speranza Avram, M.P.A., Executive Director of CalHIPSO.

NextGen Healthcare was also recently named an EHR vendor partner by the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, Inc., the REC in Kansas.

"Our committee of physicians and other regional stakeholders closely evaluated vendors not only for the features of their EHR technology, but for their willingness to work in the best interest of our physicians," said Michael Aldridge, Vice President of Information Technology at the Kansas Foundation for Medical Care, Inc. "Completing this step in the process is a win for our REC, our EHR vendor partners and most importantly our providers. We're very excited to move forward together to reach our Meaningful Use objectives and transform healthcare delivery in Kansas."

Additional new relationships established between NextGen Healthcare and RECs include: eHealthConnecticut; CO-REC (Colorado); PA REACH East and PA REACH West (Pennsylvania); Ponce School of Medicine (Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands); the South Florida Regional Extension Center; and the West Virginia Regional HIT Extension Center.

The company is also partnering with providers in Maryland, where existing NextGen Healthcare client Frederick Memorial Hospital of Frederick, Md., will lead local adoption and Meaningful Use of EHRs as a state-designated management service organization, subcontracted by the Maryland REC. A HIMSS Stage 6 hospital, Frederick Memorial is highly regarded for its state-of-the-art facilities and application of technology in the delivery of advanced care.

Supporting the critical access hospital market, NextGen Healthcare is working closely with Terry J. Hill, Executive Director of the National Rural Health Resource Center, Duluth, Minn. Through activities such as speaking engagements and webinars, Hill and NextGen Healthcare are helping to educate RECs about the distinct needs of the rural health market and accelerate the RECs' ability to assist critical access hospitals in earning stimulus incentives. The NRHRC is also a stakeholder in Key Health Alliance REACH, the regional extension center for Minnesota and North Dakota.

Source: NextGen Healthcare