Attachment F7_Pilot cover letter final

[insert date]

[insert recipient address]

Dear [insert recipient name],

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is conducting a project aimed at providing technical assistance (TA) to state Medicaid and SCHIP agencies to assist the agencies with planned or existing Health IT and Health Information Exchange (HIE) initiatives.

This will be a 3-year project during which AHRQ and its contractor, RTI International, will be developing a program of technical assistance that will include both broad-based assistance and targeted multi-state assistance.

I have enclosed a project description as well as an endorsement letter from the National Association of State Medicaid Directors (NASMD) so that you can get a better understanding of the project. In addition, RTI has developed a list of resources that are currently available to agencies implementing Health IT and HIE. This resource list is also enclosed.

To ensure that the program addresses the most pressing needs of Medicaid and SCHIP agencies that are planning or implementing a health IT or HIE initiative, we will be conducting a needs assessment interview with all interested Medicaid and SCHIP agencies mid-year 2008. Beginning in March, 2008 we will be conducting a pilot test of the needs assessment interview with representatives from selected Medicaid and SCHIP agencies, either in-person or by telephone. Your agency has been selected to participate in this important pilot study.

You will receive a phone call from a member of our team in the next couple of days to discuss the project with you and what participation might involve. We look forward to speaking with you about this important project. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to call contact our team, either by phone at 1-866-253-1627 or email at Medicaid-SCHIP-HIT@ahrq.hhs.gov.

.

Best regards,

Linda Dimitropoulos

RTI International