State funding to electronically link health-care provider records will benefit some institutions in Cayuga County, the Cayuga County Community Health Network announced this week.

New York State HEAL 5 grant money amounting to $7.85 million was awarded to the Central New York Health Link Initiative to build an information technology infrastructure allowing health-care providers to share electronic patient health information. The end result would be increased quality and coordination of health-care services delivery.

The Initiative is the collaboration of the Southern Tier Health Link and Health Advancement Collaborative of Central New York. It spans Binghamton to Syracuse, including Cayuga County's Auburn Memorial Hospital, East Hill Family Medical, Children's Health Specialists and the Port Byron Community Health Center.

In the initial phases of this project, providers will not only obtain connectivity “ahead of the curve,” but will be able to make significant contributions as to exactly how the system should be constructed to best function and benefit end users.

Dr. Christopher M. Szwagiel, executive director for the Cayuga County Community Health Network, represents Cayuga County on the Board of Directors of Southern Tier Health Link Board of Directors.

Project manager Christina M. Galanis of United Health Services Hospitals is responsible for obtaining this funding.

For more information contact Cayuga Community Health Network Inc. at 252-4212 or e-mail director@cayugahealthnetwork.org.