In an effort to encourage widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHR), federal stimulus dollars were included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) passed in 2009. The stimulus monies were distributed to each state in early 2010, with each state designating a non-profit Regional Extension Center (REC) to assist medical professionals in the process of adopting, implementing and reaching "meaningful use" of their systems. The Ohio Health Information Partnership (OHIP) was designated as Ohio's REC. To assist in the effort, OHIP identified eight Regional Partners throughout the state to serve as the "technical arms" of the effort. The Central Ohio Health Information Exchange (COHIE) was identified as a Regional Partner and will serve 14 counties in central Ohio.

COHIE is committed to assisting 1,368 physicians in Franklin County, as well as Coshocton, Crawford, Delaware, Fayette, Hardin, Knox, Logan, Licking, Madison, Marion, Morrow, Pickaway and Union adopt and meaningfully use EHR by 2014.