Case Western Reserve University is positioning itself as a leader in the field of health information technology (HIT). The university recently collaborated with several regional hospitals, community colleges and other partners to apply for millions of dollars in grants that could set an example for how HIT-related education and infrastructure is established in Northeast Ohio and around the country.
Julie Rehm, Ph.D., senior associate dean and associate vice president of strategic initiatives at Case Western Reserve, participated in the collaborative effort among the university’s schools and community partners to submit multiple HIT grant applications.
Because Case Western Reserve educates students through schools directly impacted by HIT-related initiatives—the School of Medicine, the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, the School of Dental Medicine and the Case School of Engineering—Rehm said applying for the grants was a natural fit.
“Some of the federal stimulus funding is set aside for education, workforce training, research, and infrastructure, which is what Case Western Reserve decided to pursue,” Rehm explained. “If federal investments to incentivize HIT adoption by physicians are going to be effective, the workforce and future providers need to be trained in the technology.”
She added that Case Western Reserve’s collaborative effort to pursue multiple HIT grants is probably a first in the region. Some of the partnerships—with health care institutions, local community colleges and others—are long-standing, while others are fairly new and were solidified during the grant process.
“This really shows how the university can be a catalyst for and facilitate collaborations with internal and external partners,” Rehm said.
Case Western Reserve expects to learn the status of the grants in March. If the grants are awarded, the projects will be implemented over the next one to three years.