HHS Offers $60M Grants for Strategic Health IT Projects

Each project will create a research agenda addressing the specific goals of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act and identify the barriers to adoption and meaningful use of heath IT. HHS expects to award qualified applicants cooperative agreements to support research efforts in these four project areas.

The researchers will implement a collaborative, interdisciplinary program addressing short-term and long-term challenges in their focus area. Additionally, the projects will develop and implement a cooperative program between researchers, healthcare providers, and other health IT sector stakeholders to incorporate results into health IT practices and products.

The funding is authorized under the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Applications are due January 25, with awards anticipated in March 2010. Information about the SHARP program can be found at http://HealthIT.HHS.gov/ and at www.grants.gov.