New York state plans to invest $300 million in efforts to modernize hospital IT infrastructure, bolster cybersecurity and expand telehealth services.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced Friday a tranche of new state funding to support healthcare transformation projects across New York. The awards, made through the Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program IV and V, will support 22 projects aimed at improving health information technology by expanding patient electronic medical records, strengthening cybersecurity and patient information security, state officials said.
“By modernizing our hospitals' IT infrastructure and protecting patients' information, we’re strengthening the foundation of health care in New York State,” Governor Hochul said in a statement. “These investments will help ensure that hospitals have the tools they need to safeguard patient data, expand telehealth services and deliver a healthier future for all New Yorkers.”
The funding awards prioritize projects that support financially distressed providers and modernize critical health IT infrastructure, including fortifying hospital cybersecurity and extending virtual care services.
Awardees include hospitals in every region of the state, officials said.
“With these investments, we are focused on developing safe, reliable and connected patient-centered care. By expanding data capabilities and improving cybersecurity defenses, we’re enhancing clinical decision making across the state’s health care network," James McDonald, M.D., Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health, said in a statement.
Among the awardees, Montefiore Health System in the Bronx is getting $41 million to fund a cybersecurity project, Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island received $54 million for an electronic health record transformation project, the Brooklyn Hospital Center was awarded $33 million for an Epic EHR implementation project, Mount Sinai Hospital received nearly $12 million for population health management tools and One Brooklyn Health System plans to use nearly $26 million in funding to strengthen cybersecurity and for EHR projects.
SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse received $2.4 million to fund telehealth services.
Community, mid-sized and smaller hospitals also received significant funding award, with Rome Memorial Hospital in Oneida County receiving $19 million to replace six disparate EMRs with a single integrated solution, Samaritan Medical Center awarded $22 million also for an EHR project, Rochester General Hospital getting $15 million for cybersecurity and Adirondack Medical Center received nearly $5 million also to bolster cybersecurity. Here is a full list (PDF) of awardees, projects and award amounts.
The Statewide Health Care Facility Transformation Program has awarded more than $1.75 billion to providers working to improve access, equity and quality of care across New York. These awards are part of a broader, long-term commitment that has directed more than $4.7 billion in health care capital funding statewide since 2016, Governor Hochul's office said.