Ever since The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into law on February 17th, our industry has been abuzz with speculation, mostly concerning the $19.2 billion allocated to expand and modernize health I.T. and the additional estimated $2 billion in jump start funds. We've spent the past three weeks analyzing ARRA and conferring with key contacts across the industry to see what it all means to our customers. Today, we announce a joint effort with Perot Systems, our preferred provider of integrated technology solutions and a provider of consulting services, to supply the MEDITECH customer community with information and services designed to maximize their understanding of ARRA and how the legislation supports their I.T. initiatives.

The launch pad for this information will continue to be the Interoperability and EHR Initiatives area of www.meditech.com, where we recently debuted our "Federal and State Government News Update" section as well as MEDITECH's position on Certification and Legislation efforts. In the coming weeks, we will post detailed written materials, podcasts, presentations, and reference tools to this site, and we will carry the message through both companies' monthly electronic customer newsletters, MEDITECH Magazine and Inside Perspective. We're also developing "roadmaps" for customers, designed to help them gauge how close they are to reaching their strategic goals, what steps are needed to close the gap, and how products and services available from both companies will enable them to take advantage of any programs available through ARRA.

As we all know, things continue to change on a daily basis. Please stay tuned to www.meditech.com, specifically the Interoperability and EHR Initiatives area for further announcements and posted materials. Any questions or comments about MEDITECH and its response to ARRA or other government initiatives can be sent to our stimulus mailbox, and a member of our task force will respond.