Los Angeles County Mental Health Department Signs $19 Million Contract for HIPAA Compliance Tools, Services
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health has signed a four-year, $19 million contract with a group of companies to bring the department in compliance with the HIPAA transaction and code sets rule. As part of the agreement, Vancouver-based Sierra Systems will provide the company's information management system to the department. The contract also includes Washington Publishing, an electronic data interchange consulting company; WRQ, a legacy integration software provider; and data security software suppliers Valicert and Xpediate. Microsoft also will provide HIPAA Accelerator transaction and processing software to the department under the contract. "We believe we have selected a responsible solution to achieving HIPAA compliance given the severe budget constraints facing the county and the department," Dr. Marvin Southard, director of the mental health department, said. The department will pay the companies $12.6 million over 13 months for the implementation of new tools required for HIPAA compliance and $6.4 million to cover future system upgrades, maintenance and technical support (Sierra Systems release, 9/4). For more iHealth & Technology stories, visit iHealthBeat.org, a new Web publication sponsored by the California HealthCare Foundation.
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