The Secretary may award grants under this section to carry out demonstration projects to develop academic curricula integrating certified EHR technology in the clinical education of health professionals. Such awards shall be made on a competitive basis and pursuant to peer review.
To be eligible to receive a grant under subsection (a), an entity shall-
(1) submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require;
(2) submit to the Secretary a strategic plan for integrating certified EHR technology in the clinical education of health professionals to reduce medical errors, increase access to prevention, reduce chronic diseases, and enhance health care quality;
(3) be-
(A) a school of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, or pharmacy, a graduate program in behavioral or mental health, or any other graduate health professions school;
(B) a graduate school of nursing or physician assistant studies;
(C) a consortium of two or more schools described in subparagraph (A) or (B); or
(D) an institution with a graduate medical education program in medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, or physician assistance studies;
(4) provide for the collection of data regarding the effectiveness of the demonstration project to be funded under the grant in improving the safety of patients, the efficiency of health care delivery, and in increasing the likelihood that graduates of the grantee will adopt and incorporate certified EHR technology, in the delivery of health care services; and
(5) provide matching funds in accordance with subsection (d).
With respect to a grant under subsection (a), an eligible entity shall-
(A) use grant funds in collaboration with 2 or more disciplines; and
(B) use grant funds to integrate certified EHR technology into community-based clinical education.
An eligible entity shall not use amounts received under a grant under subsection (a) to purchase hardware, software, or services.
The Secretary may not provide more than 50 percent of the costs of any activity for which assistance is provided under subsection (a), except in an instance of national economic conditions which would render the cost-share requirement under this subsection detrimental to the program and upon notification to Congress as to the justification to waive the cost-share requirement.
The Secretary shall take such action as may be necessary to evaluate the projects funded under this section and publish, make available, and disseminate the results of such evaluations on as wide a basis as is practicable.
Not later than 1 year after February 17, 2009, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Committee on Finance of the Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report that-
(1) describes the specific projects established under this section; and
(2) contains recommendations for Congress based on the evaluation conducted under subsection (e).
(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title XXX, §3015, as added