U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was in Rhode Island Jan. 7 to launch the Beacon Community Program, which provides funding to build and strengthen health information technology  infrastructure and exchange capabilities. Two facilities affiliated with the Alpert Medical School — the Governor Street Primary Care Center and the Family Care Center at Memorial Hospital — are among the few R.I. practices to be part of the grant, and Rhode Island was one of only 17 states to receive funding, said Jeffrey Borkan, professor and chair of family medicine. “Funds are flowing toward making [better health information technology] a reality — and we are teaching students and residents about it as it occurs,” Borkan said.