NCG Medical, an Electronic Health Records (EHR) company based in Central Florida, has donated software and technical support valued at $1.25 million over five years to the University of Central Florida.
The donation will give Health Care Informatics students real-world experience with EHR software used by thousands of doctors’ offices to integrate their clinical and financial records.
NCG Medical is providing UCF’s master’s degree program in Health Care Informatics with licenses for its Perfect Care EHR software. Beginning this fall, students entering the program will be given access to the software, enabling them to gain experience with certified EHR consisting of electronic medical records, electronic lab orders and revenue cycle management.
“The software will help our students see how all the different parts and pieces of a medical practice can fit together electronically,” said Kendall Cortelyou-Ward, interim director of the Health Care Informatics graduate program in the College of Health and Public Affairs. “It will be an invaluable experience for students preparing for a career in health informatics.”
The company will provide the licenses, technical support and software updates for five years.
“We are very impressed with the efforts UCF has contributed to regional healthcare informatics initiatives,” said Antonio Arias, senior vice president of business development of NCG Medical, which is based in Altamonte Springs. “Our goal is to integrate the university’s efforts with our support and software tools to create a world-class health informatics program.”
In 2009, NCG Medical established a scholarship for students enrolled in UCF’s Health Care Informatics program.
Cortelyou-Ward said there has been keen interest in the informatics program since it began last fall. Twenty-five students are currently enrolled, and she anticipates adding 30 new students this fall.