$1.2 billion available for e-health records.

• Position: HEALTH RECORDS - Brief article

The government has announced $1.2 billion in grant money to help hospitals and healthcare providers implement electronic health records (EHRs).

The grants include $589 million to establish 70 health information technology centers to help healthcare institutions acquire EHR systems and $564 million to develop a nationwide system of health information networks that will enable hospitals and doctors to share patients' data, Vice President Joe Biden's office said in a statement.

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"Electronic health records can help reduce medical errors, make health care more efficient and improve the...