Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-77-2. Establishment of the healthcare information technology and infrastructure development fund

(a) There is established in the department of health, the healthcare information technology and infrastructure development fund to be administered by the director of the department of health for the purpose of promoting the development and adoption of healthcare information technologies designed to improve the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare services and the security of individual patient data.

(b) Moneys in the fund shall be used for projects authorized by the director of health and may be expended by contract, loan, or grant, to develop, maintain, expand, and improve the state's healthcare information technology infrastructure and to assist healthcare facilities and health service providers in adopting healthcare information technologies shown to improve healthcare quality, safety or efficiency. Such projects shall incorporate the goal of maintaining the security and confidentiality of individual patient data, and separate projects for that purpose may also be authorized from the fund. The director of health shall develop criteria for the selection of projects to be funded from the fund in consultation with the healthcare information technology and infrastructure advisory committee created in § 23-77-4.

(c) Any moneys provided by loan shall be disbursed for periods not exceeding twenty-five (25) years and at an annual rate of interest not exceeding five percent (5%).

(d) The director of the department of health, in consultation with the state healthcare information technology advisory committee, shall establish criteria for eligible healthcare information technology and infrastructure projects to be funded under this chapter.

(e) The healthcare information technology and infrastructure development fund, as herein described, shall constitute a restricted receipt account within the general fund of the state and housed within the budget of the department of health. The short title of the restricted receipt account shall henceforth be designated as “health information technology”.