The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is at the forefront of the administration’s health IT efforts and is a resource to the entire health system to support the adoption of health information technology and the promotion of nationwide health information exchange to improve health care. ONC is organizationally located within the Office of the Secretary for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Here is what they are doing and reporting. Follow them @ONC_HealthIT. Sign up for their email updates.
News & Announcements
Today, the HTI-1 final rule published on the Federal Register with an effective date of February 8, 2024! View the final rule: https://t.co/NVnuVKNwca #HTI1 #HealthIT pic.twitter.com/fQcPIxfRTp
— ONC (@ONC_HealthIT) January 9, 2024
COMMENT OPPORTUNITY: With the launch of our new USCDI+ platform, we are officially accepting public comments and data elements users submit for consideration for public health datasets. Learn more: https://t.co/I9vI5mgvUz
— ONC (@ONC_HealthIT) January 5, 2024
GAO Makes New Appointments to the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee
Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), announced the appointment of five new members to the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC). The newly appointed members are Lee Fleisher, Katrina Parrish, Randa Perkins, Rochelle Prosser, and Mark Sendak. Each is appointed for a three-year term and may be reappointed for a subsequent three-year term. View brief biographies.
Events
NEW HTI-1 WEBINAR: Join us on 1/17 at 1pm ET for the #HTI1 Decision Support Interventions Information Session – Register & learn more – https://t.co/iW2vtFUcFm pic.twitter.com/fVZYHGPLrt
— ONC (@ONC_HealthIT) January 8, 2024
NEW WEBINAR: Join us for a Navigating Federal Employment Workshop webinar on 1/18 at 10:00am ET. Register: https://t.co/myAA7u3WdA stay connected with us on LinkedIn: https://t.co/o02oFnFpqI #Hiring @HHSGov pic.twitter.com/A7TFWELhb0
— ONC (@ONC_HealthIT) January 5, 2024
Resources
21st Century Cures Act Summary
The 21st Century Cures Act, signed December 13, 2016, by President Obama, promotes and funds the acceleration of research into preventing and curing serious illnesses; accelerates drug and medical device development; attempts to address the opioid abuse crisis; and tries to improve mental health service delivery. The Act includes a number of provisions that push for greater interoperability, adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and support for human services programs.
Certification of Health IT
The ONC Health IT Certification Program (Certification Program) ensures that Certified Health Information Technology meets the technological capability, functionality, and security requirements adopted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI)
The United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) is a standardized set of health data classes and constituent data elements for nationwide, interoperable health information exchange. Review the USCDI Fact Sheet to learn more.
TEFCA
The Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) establishes a universal policy and technical floor for nationwide interoperability; simplifies connectivity for organizations to securely exchange information to improve patient care, enhance the welfare of populations, and generate health care value; and enables individuals to gather their healthcare information. The Common Agreement establishes the infrastructure model and the governing approach for users in different networks to securely share basic clinical information under commonly agreed-to expectations and rules.
Read
From the Health IT Buzz Blog – Learn more about HHS’s Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). Check out the latest blog posts:
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- FHIR Roadmap for TEFCA Exchange V.2: FHIR APIs are on their Way into TEFCA Exchange
- Leveraging Agency Expertise to Foster American AI Leadership and Innovation
- A Decade of Data Examined: Patient Access to Electronic Health Information
- New USCDI+ Platform Now Live; Public Health Datasets Available for Comment
- FHIR Factories Help Researchers use EHR Data
- The Digital Health Divide for Populations that have been Marginalized
- Coming in Hot! TEFCA Will Soon Be Live and Add Support for FHIR-Based Exchange
ONC Interoperability Pledge
Companies that provide 90 percent of electronic health records used by hospitals nationwide as well as the top five largest health care systems in the country have agreed to implement three core commitments: Consumer Access, No Blocking/Ensuring Transparency, and Standards. The ONC (@ONC_HealthIT) wants vendors to sign a pledge. Is your vendor pledging? Find out who is on the list.