PA receives $17 million for health IT

Harrisburg – The Governor’s Office of Health Care Reform has received more than $17 million in federal Recovery Act funds to help develop a health information “superhighway” to connect health care practitioners, patients, facilities and pharmacies through a secure network giving them the ability to have a complete record of a patient’s medical history.

“The transition to an electronic system of health records is another critical step in achieving the goals of Governor Rendell’s comprehensive Prescription for Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange, or PHIX, which is the name of our superhighway, will support patient-centered health care and improve access, quality and efficiency of care,” said Ann Torregrossa, director of the Governor’s Office of Health Care Reform.

Increased use of health IT will allow for better coordination and delivery of health care across Pennsylvania. An effective health information exchange will allow health care providers to see a patient’s entire health care story, saving valuable resources and allowing them to focus on healthcare delivery. Read the full story here.

The GE & Science Prize for Young Life Scientists

The GE Science Prize for Young Life Scientists has been established to provide support to scientists at the beginning of their careers, because Science/AAAS and GE Healthcare believe that such support is critical for continued scientific progress. In 2010, the prize will recognize outstanding graduate students in molecular biology from all regions of the world. This international prize will be awarded for the outstanding thesis in the general area of molecular biology as described in a 1000-word essay. The winning essay will be published in Science; essays of the regional award winners will appear in the online version of Science. The deadline for entries is 1 August 2010.

Entrants must have been awarded their Ph.D. between 1 January and 31 December 2009. Candidates for M.D./Ph.D. degrees are eligible to compete for the prize in either the year the Ph.D. is awarded or the year the final degree is awarded.
Submissions must be received by 1 August, 2010

Harrisburg – The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency announced the availability of $250,000 in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to support and encourage the development of specialized training programs for direct victim service agency staff and allied professionals. The funding will be used to support training for victim service providers, including
professionals within the medical and mental health fields, to enhance their abilities to respond to victims of crime in a proficient and culturally sensitive manner.

Interested applicants, including public and non-profit organizations, may apply through PCCD’s Egrants system by March 17. Victim service agencies will be given priority consideration.
More information on how to apply, including eligibility requirements and special conditions, is available online at www.pccd.state.pa.us by selecting “grant opportunities.”

Kaiser Permanente announced $90 million in health care grants

[Philanthropy News Digest] Oakland-based Kaiser Permanente has announced fourth-quarter grants totaling $90 million to five hundred nonprofits across the country. Several grants were awarded to groups working to keep individuals healthy during these difficult economic times.

Safety-net partnership grants included $346,000 to the National Association of Community Health Centers for an initiative designed to incorporate patient-centered health models into community clinics, and a total of $960,000 to fifteen community clinic consortia and other organizations in Northern California working to help low-income individuals enroll and stay enrolled in public health insurance programs. Additional grants included $597,750 to the Bikes Belong Coalition for its Safe Routes to School State Network Project; $509,000 to the Denver Botanic Gardens for its Community Supported Agriculture program; and a total of $745,750 to four colleges and universities in Colorado to provide scholarships supporting careers in nursing and allied health.

“Kaiser Permanente Approves $170 Million in Community Benefit Grants in 2009.” Kaiser Permanente Press Release 2/11/10.