$6.9 million is being divided among Ohio, North Dakota, Hawaii and Massachusetts in order to assist in the facilitation of electronic medical records (EMR) adoption. The funds have been provided by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as an initiative by the federal government in order to speed up the adoption of EMR technology.

The determination of how far technology related to healthcare has advanced will be illustrated by this federal initiative. The major portion of funding will be acquired by the Bay State (approximately $3.6 million). The next largest share will go to the Buckeye State ($2.3 million) while the remaining funds will go to Hawaii ($836,000) and North Dakota ($226,000).

The money will come in the form of matching Medicaid funds and will be aimed at assisting each state with developing their EMR initiative plans. This will include the determination their current state of HIT activity (according to their press releases). The funds will be obtained from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, as a 90% matching fund.

This will entail the assessment of provider eligibility for incentives, determining existing barriers and the creation, in each qualifying state, for Medicaid HIT Plans. This will determine and define each state’s long-term HIT use.

A long-time hub for technology innovation, Ohio is also a home to a vibrant cluster of HIT companies. These include: MetroHealth, Hyland Software, Inc. and MedPlus, Inc. Massachusetts also leads the way for HIT companies with: Casenet Inc., MedVentive Inc., eClinicalWorks, (NSDQ:ATHN) and Athenahealth Inc.

However, the federal government is presenting a less than unified front when it comes to pushing for the HER adoption. Even as the funds are being handed out, the FDA has considered the reports of adverse events attributed to the technology. The head of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, has stated to a Congressional panel that the FDA will take a closer look at whether software programs should be held to the same regulatory processes as standard medical devices.

However, these adverse reports have been called “fragmented and anecdotal” by the national coordinator for HIT at the United States Dept. of Health and Human Services, Dr. David Blumenthal. This was stated at his appearance in Boston this past April. He stated that his department researched the evident and has not changed his mission in trying to move forward the adoption of EMRs as standard medical practises.