U.S. grants $1.2 billion for electronic health records

The U.S. government has announced grants of almost $1.2 billion to help hospitals and healthcare providers implement and use electronic health records. The grants include $598 million to set up some 70 health information technology centers to help healthcare institutions acquire electronic health record systems and $564 million to develop a nationwide system of health information networks, Vice President Joe Biden's office said in a statement.