The state of New York has made a significant contribution to health IT dissemination and practice transformation through its HEAL grants issued by the Department of Health. As a policy point, these grants are made with the belief that health IT is a key element necessary to meet the challenges of rising health care costs and alongside shortfalls in health care quality. The effective use of health IT fills a crucial need for timeliness and standardization of data to transmit relevant information to health care providers in a clinically useful form. Most recently, HEAL grants support projects across New York that are designed to improve the coordination and management of patient care through implementation of a patient-centered medical home model supported by the effective use of interoperable health IT. Two of our current projects—longitudinal studies of cost and quality measures in the medical home and using care coordination in that context—will inform policy for the state of New York with their outcomes.

TIPA has historically pursued research in these areas, and maintains an interest in exploring how these commitments affect the path of development in New York.  We believe our efforts in the Hudson Valley can inform policy at the federal level as well. Transformation of health care in the form of the medical home, advanced primary care and accountable care promise to be fruitful, long-term areas of exploration.