Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
Agency overview
Formed April 27, 2004 (2004-04-27)
Headquarters Washington, DC
Agency executives
  • B. Vindell Washington, National Coordinator for Health IT
  • Jon White, Deputy National Coordinator for Health IT
Parent department Health and Human Services
Website healthit.gov
Footnotes
[1] [2] [3] [4]

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is a staff division of the Office of the Secretary, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ONC leads national health IT efforts, charged as the principal federal entity to coordinate nationwide efforts to implement and use the most advanced health information technology and the electronic exchange of health information.

President George W. Bush created the position of National Coordinator on April 27, 2004 through Executive Order 13335.[1][5] Congress later mandated ONC in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.[6]

Mission

With the passage of the HITECH Act, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is charged with building an interoperable, private and secure nationwide health information system and supporting the widespread, meaningful use of health information technology.

ONC’s mission is looking ahead as it begins its second decade in 2014. ONC is working to improve these five areas:

The concerted initiative on interoperability in 2014 seeks to achieve the ability of two or more systems to exchange health information and use the information once it is received.

The mission of ONC is to optimize the paths to reach these five health IT goals along with interoperability to support the Triple Aim. Widely adopted by the healthcare sector, the Triple Aim was developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to 1) improve patient experience of care, 2) improve the health of populations, and 3) reduce per capita costs of healthcare. The Federal Health IT Strategic Plan from 2011-2015 had set these five goals

In its ongoing work, ONC is looking to address these priorities in 2014:

ONC's mission had previously been described as

Leadership

The structure of the agency offers insight into its strategic goals, and the agency's continued interest in collaborative, transparent, experienced leadership.[7]

National Coordinators

Vindell Washington (12 August 2016 – )
Washington previously served as Principal Deputy National Coordinator.[8]
Karen DeSalvo (13 January 2014 – 12 August 2016)
DeSalvo became National Coordinator for Health Information Technology on January 13, 2014,[9] after serving as Health Commissioner for the City of New Orleans and Senior Health Policy Advisor to New Orleans Mayor Mitchell Landrieu. The role of National Coordinator is responsible for developing and executing the nation's Health Information Technology agenda. In New Orleans Dr. DeSalvo modernized and improved the effectiveness of the health department, and restored health care to devastated areas of the city, including leading the establishment of a public hospital. Prior to joining the Mayor's administration, DeSalvo was a professor of medicine and vice dean for community affairs and health policy at Tulane University School of Medicine.[10] DeSalvo left ONC on August 12, 2016 to focus on her work as Acting Assistant Secretary of Health.[8]
Jacob Reider (interim, 4 October 2013 – 13 January 2014)
Reider took the role of Acting National Coordinator for Health IT when Farzad Mostishari left ONC to become a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution on October 4, 2013.[11] He returned to his earlier position as ONC's Chief Medical Officer when Karen DeSalvo became National Coordinator.[9]
Farzad Mostashari (2011 – 4 October 2013)
As National Coordinator Mostishari led ONC's major implementation phase after first joining ONC as its deputy national coordinator in July 2009. As deputy he developed a series of grant programs to promote electronic health record adoption, furthered the development of health information exchange, and helped construct the workforce development program. His vision has been instrumental in the formulation of the ONC’s Health IT Strategic Plan, the creation of ONC’s Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies, and influenced future stages of Meaningful Use.
David Blumenthal (March 2009 – 2011)
Physician and Harvard Medical School Professor David Blumenthal was appointed National Coordinator on March 20, 2009.[12] He set the inaugural tone and led the accelerated ramp up and development of the vastly expanded and fully funded role of ONC with the development of the many programs authorized by the HITECH Act, with the cooperation of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Robert Kolodner (interim, 18 September 2006; permanent, 18 April 2007 – 2009)
Psychiatrist Robert Kolodner became Acting National Coordinator on September 18, 2006,[13] and was formally appointed as National Coordinator of Health Information Technology on April 18, 2007.[14] He retired from the federal government on September 23, 2009.[15]
Karen Bell (interim, April 2006 – 18 September 2006)
Bell briefly served as Acting National Coordinator between Brailer's departure in April 2006 and Kolodner's appointment later that year.[13]
David Brailer (2004 – April 2006)
The first National Coordinator of Health Information Technology, physician and venture capitalist, David Brailer, laid critical groundwork for a vision of the role extensive use of electronic health records could play in the modernization of clinical paperwork and digitization of healthcare. Brailer resigned from the position on April 20, 2006.[16]

Programs

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act seeks to improve American health care delivery and patient care through an unprecedented investment in health information technology. The provisions of the HITECH Act are specifically designed to work together to provide the necessary assistance and technical support to providers, enable coordination and alignment within and among states, establish connectivity to the public health community in case of emergencies, and assure the workforce is properly trained and equipped to be meaningful users of Electronic Health Records (EHRs).

EHR Incentive Program Payments and Meaningful Use The HITECH Act set meaningful use of interoperable EHR adoption in the health care system as a critical national goal and incentivized EHR adoption. The "goal is not adoption alone but 'meaningful use' of EHRs — that is, their use by providers to achieve significant improvements in care." The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) managed and distributed these federal funds for the meaningful use of electronic health records in conjunction with state Medicaid departments with the cooperation and support of ONC and ONC programs.

As of March 2014, more than $22.5 billion in combined Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program payments have been made since 2011. More than $14.8 billion in Medicare EHR Incentive Program payments have been made between May 2011 and March 2014. More than $7.7 billion in Medicaid EHR Incentive Program payments have been made between January 2011 (when the first set of states launched their programs) and March 2014. More than 470,000 eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals are actively registered in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs as of March 2014.[17] According to Modern Healthcare, payments have been made to 90.4% of the 5,011 estimated eligible hospitals; and 69.6% of the estimated 527,200 eligible professionals.[18]

ONC Programs The following ONC programs[19] help to build the foundation for every American to benefit from an electronic health record, as part of a modernized, interconnected, and vastly improved system of care delivery. Note: The list of programs below is in the process of being revised and updated.

*Combined Results of Community College and University-Based Training: In total the two programs trained 21,437 students from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands at 91 academic institutions.[24][25]

Advisory committees

ONC also created two Federal Advisory Committees (FACAs), the Health IT Policy Committee, which the National Coordinator chairs, and the Health IT Standards Committee.

Health IT Policy Committee The Health IT Policy Committee recommends a policy framework for the development and adoption of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure that permits the electronic exchange and use of health information. Vice-chair of this committee is Paul Tang, MD, MS, who is Vice President, Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at Palo Alto Medical Foundation.[26]

Health IT Standards Committee The Health IT Standards Committee recommends to the National Coordinator standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria. The Standards Committee also harmonizes, pilot tests, and ensures consistency with the Social Security Act. Vice-chair of this committee is John Halamka, MD, MS, who is Chief Information Officer of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Professor at Harvard Medical School, and a practicing Emergency Physician.[27]

References

  1. 1 2 69 FR 24059
  2. ↑ "Contact Us". HealthIT.gov. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. 25 April 2016.
  3. ↑ "Leadership Bios". HealthIT.gov. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  4. ↑ "HHS Organizational Chart". U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  5. ↑ "Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC): Executive Summary". U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 9 November 2004. Archived from the original on 29 September 2006.
  6. ↑ American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
  7. ↑ "About ONC". HealthIT.gov.
  8. 1 2 Sullivan, Tom (11 August 2016). "Karen DeSalvo stepping down as national coordinator to join HHS full-time". Healthcare IT News. HIMSS Media. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  9. 1 2 McCann, Erin (19 December 2013). "HHS appoints new ONC chief". Healthcare IT News. HIMSS Media.
  10. ↑ "Karen B. DeSalvo, M.D., M.P.H., M.Sc.". HealthIT.gov. 13 January 2016. Archived from the original on 28 June 2016.
  11. ↑ Brino, Anthony (10 November 2013). "Changing of the ONC guard". Healthcare IT News. HIMSS Media.
  12. ↑ "HHS Names David Blumenthal As National Coordinator for Health Information Technology" (Press release). 20 March 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010.
  13. 1 2 Ferris, Nancy (20 September 2006). "Kolodner named interim national health IT coordinator". Healthcare IT News. HIMSS Media.
  14. ↑ Ferris, Nancy (18 April 2007). "Kolodner becomes permanent national coordinator of health IT". Healthcare IT News. HIMSS Media.
  15. ↑ Versel, Neil (23 September 2009). "Kolodner retires from federal government". Healthcare IT News. HIMSS Media.
  16. ↑ Leavitt, Mike. "Statement by Mike Leavitt Secretary of Health and Human Services On Resignation of David J. Brailer, National Coordinator for Health IT" (Press release). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013.
  17. ↑ "Data and Program Reports - Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services". Cms.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-10.
  18. ↑ "CMS Meaningful Use Incentive Payments Reach $22.9B". iHealthBeat. 2001-10-26. Retrieved 2016-01-10.
  19. ↑ "HITECH Programs". The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. 27 January 2011. Archived from the original on 19 February 2011.
  20. ↑ "Regional Extension Center Program Dashboard from HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT". Dashboard.healthit.gov. Retrieved 2016-01-10.
  21. ↑ "Program Initiatives | Policy Researchers & Implementers". HealthIT.gov. 2014-01-21. Retrieved 2016-01-10.
  22. ↑ "State HIE Implementation Status | Policy Researchers & Implementers". HealthIT.gov. 2014-11-30. Retrieved 2016-01-10.
  23. ↑ "EVALUATION OF THE BEACON COMMUNITY COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT PROGRAM" (PDF). Healthit.gov. March 2013. Retrieved 2016-01-10.
  24. ↑ "HITECH Workforce Development Programs" (PDF). Dashboard.healthit.gov. 2013. Retrieved 2016-01-10.
  25. ↑ "Final Report : Evaluation of the Information Technology Professionals in Health Care ("Workforce") Program - Summative Report" (PDF). Healthit.gov. March 2014. Retrieved 2016-01-10.
  26. ↑ Kibbe, David; Klepper, Brian (2 February 2012). "Trusting Government: A Tale Of Two Federal Advisory Groups". Health Affairs Blog.
  27. ↑ Halamka, John (24 April 2014). "The April HIT Standards Committee meeting". Life as a Healthcare CIO.

Further reading

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