CHITREC

The Chicago Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (CHITREC) originally was created in 2009 after the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was passed. As part of the Federal stimulus package, the Office of National Coordinator for HIT provided funding to groups across the county in support of Meaningful Use efforts.

Even though the original grant has been completed, CHITREC still exists to support small practices with quality improvement initiatives. Beginning in 2013, the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services contracted with CHITREC to provide education and outreach for the Illinois Medicaid EHR Incentive Program through a help desk and other outlets.

In 2017, CHITREC was awarded funding to provide direct support to thousands of Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians in small practices as they participate in the Quality Payment Program that was established by the Medicare Access and Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). Funding for the QPP of Illinois program ended on February 15, 2022.

A key focus of CHITREC has been providing education to help practices take advantage of federal and state quality improvement incentive programs. Check out CHITREC HFS and QPP webinars.

Learn more about CHITREC's former initiatives:

• Healthy Hearts in the Heartland (H3)
• Great Lakes Practice Transformation Network (GLPTN)
• Illinois Medicaid Promoting Interoperability Help Desk
• Quality Payment Program of Illinois