About the National Learning Consortium

The National Learning Consortium (NLC) represents the lessons learned from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) outreach programs (Regional Extension Centers, Beacon Communities, State Health Information Exchange) and through the Health Information Technology Research Center (HITRC).

The field staffs representing these programs are creating an evolving body of knowledge and resources designed to support health care providers and health IT professionals working towards the implementation, adoption, and meaningful use of certified electronic health record (EHR) systems. The purpose of the National Learning Consortium is to organize these experiences and package them for broader use by health care providers and practice managers striving to implement health information technology.

For the next few months the National Learning Consortium will focus on identifying and sharing leading practices in EHR adoption, meaningful use, and provider support. This body of knowledge addresses both the key EHR implementation challenges and the corresponding challenges related to change management, education and outreach, privacy and security, vendor management, health workforce issues, workflow redesign, and overall project management.

Regional Extension Centers Provide On-the-Ground Implementation Assistance

Currently over 1,000 staff from the 62 Regional Extension Centers (RECs) are assisting over 30,000 primary care practices in the selection and implementation of certified EHR systems. The RECs have established a number of communities of practice where they bring real time collaboration to solve current implementation problems. These communities are developing and testing tools and techniques that will be posted on the web site as they are “field” tested and proven. Find an REC near you.

The National Learning Consortium will expand its focus after the first of the year to address broader EHR implementation issues including interoperability, exchange, and quality improvement.

EHR Implementation Resources

The National Learning Consortium, in partnership with HealthIT.gov, will share this collective EHR implementation knowledge and the resulting resources throughout this site. The NLC resources are examples of tools that are used in the field today, and that are recommended by “boots-on-the-ground” professionals.

Over the coming months, the National Learning Consortium will continue to share updated experiences and resources derived from the ground level where the hard work of implementation and adoption is taking place every day. Resulting leading practices that can be used throughout all phases of the EHR implementation lifecycle will be incorporated. Please check back often for updates.

Reference in this web site to any specific resources, tools, products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. Government or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

View EHR implementation steps with tools and resources from the NLC.