HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley, Institute for Family Health Partner to Build Primary Care Research Capacity in Hudson Valley With Launch of New Fellowship Program

New York, N.Y. (Sept. 2, 2015) – HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley and the Institute for Family Health today announced a new collaborative research program, to be funded over two years by a $1.26 million New York State Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program grant.

The new Center for Health Information Technology Research to Promote Population Health in Primary Care, based in Kingston, N.Y., will begin to identify the most effective methods for using health information technology to improve healthcare and reduce health disparities. To do this, the program will train at least six primary care-focused researchers.

“The goal of our center is to advance the science of HIT in delivering the best care for the most people, both through the studies we conduct and the research workforce that is developed,” said Dr. Neil Calman, co-founder and president of the Institute. “We are excited to take this next step in advancing the use of HIT to improve care for the underserved and in building strong primary care-focused research capacity in New York state.”

The award is one of only 12 given by ECRIP to establish a new research center in the state.

“The Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program is a vital part of our efforts to solidify New York as a leader in biomedical research,” state Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said in a statement. “This investment will help train the next generation of researchers, helping to ensure that the Empire State remains on the cutting edge of innovation,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

“We are thrilled to receive this grant,” HealthAlliance President and Chief Executive Officer David Scarpino said. “Health information technology is one of the most promising tools for providing quality, safe and efficient care. The cutting-edge research of the new center will advance efforts to improve our overall community’s health status. The partnership also reinforces our longstanding collaboration with the Institute as a provider of high-quality primary care in our region.”

Physicians interested in applying for the fellowship program should contact Diane Hauser at dhauser@institute.org.