Hospital recruitment begins for lab interoperability project

The American Hospital Association, the College of American Pathologists and Surescripts is seeking hospital participation for a program that will electronically connect hospital laboratories with public health agencies. AHA, CAP and Surescripts are participating in what is called the Lab Interoperability Cooperative, a project funded by a grant funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The project is intended to help hospital labs meet criteria established by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology for meaningful use of electronic health records. This criteria includes submission of electronic data on reportable laboratory results to public health agencies. During the two-year grant period, the LIC will recruit, educate and connect to the appropriate public health agencies a minimum of 500 hospital labs ? at least 100 will be critical access or rural hospitals.