The Department of Health and Human Services announced on its own Health IT blog that new grants would be awarded in the coming weeks for Health IT projects around the country designed to expand health information networks, improve healthcare access and make health records digital. In addition, many of the new Health IT projects will create new jobs in states around the country.

On the blog, Dr. Joshua Seidman wrote:

“In the coming weeks, ONC will be rolling out more components of our HIT Extension Program. In particular, we’ll keep you apprised of our plans for the HIT Research Center (HITRC) that will help provide support and continuity to the RECs and create a virtual community of shared learning.”

HHS has also said the forthcoming grants are, “focused on solo and small group practices, community and rural health centers, public and critical-access hospitals, and other settings that predominately serve uninsured, underinsured, or medically underserved patients.”

A second administration effort this week enables schools that receive federal funding the option to open up their broadband access to the community during off-school hours. In Wisconsin, the state has launched a program to bring high-speed Internet access to schools and libraries of underserved communities.

The project was praised yesterday in a Green Bay Press Gazette editorial:

Gov. Jim Doyle said jobs would be created to lay and install more than 200 miles of fiber optic cable. He said the project, expected to take 18 months to complete, would also create jobs in such fields as telecommunication, construction, manufacturing, masonry and electrical wiring. Those are among the kinds of jobs that have been eliminated in recent months. According to the most recent unemployment figures by the state Department of Workforce Development, in December among goods producers included 14,300 in construction and 1,700 in manufacturing.