As the federal government mandated the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs), the workforce surrounding the systems in which those records are housed, transmitted and manipulated had to grow. Show
The government, for its part, has encouraged that growth in the form of contributions from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The ONC is housed within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and is charged with “nationwide efforts to implement and use the most advanced health information technology and electronic exchange of health information,” according to healthit.gov. Developing the Workforce As part of its commitment to health IT and electronic health record (EHR) implementation, the ONC developed initiatives and financial policies to help build the workforce to support its broader goals. Perhaps the best example of this is the Health IT Workforce Development Program. Its goal is to train health IT professionals to be ready to help providers implement EHR systems for providers. The program targeted 12 roles that play a major part in the success of healthcare IT efforts. Six roles required University-Based Training (UBT) that culminated with participants earning master’s degrees, and six required certifications that could be found through a number of outlets including community colleges. According to Health IT Today, the six UBT offerings are: 1. Clinician/Public Health Leader: This person leads deployment of health IT to improve quality, safety and outcomes of health services. Titles may include Chief Medical Information Officer or Chief Informatics Officer. 2. Health Information Management and Exchange Specialist: Supports the collection, management, exchange and analysis of medical information in electronic form. 3. Health Information Privacy and Security Specialist: This person supports the same efforts as the management and exchange specialist but does so with a focus on maintaining the security and integrity of that information. 4. Research and Development Scientists: Create new models and solutions that advance capabilities of health IT. They also conduct studies concerning the effectiveness of health IT and its impact on healthcare quality. 5. Programmers and Software Engineers: The architects of health IT solutions, these professionals are well trained in both the healthcare and computer information spheres. 6. Health IT Sub-specialist: This person’s training combines healthcare and public health knowledge with knowledge of IT and an expertise in factors that shape health IT policy, such as ethics, business, systems engineering, psychology and policy and planning. In committing to the development of these roles and training professionals who can fill them, the ONC has awarded millions of dollars’ worth of grants to universities and state agencies to further refine the roles and educate candidates capable of fulfilling them. Today, direct efforts to grow the workforce continue through investment in curriculum development, population health strategies, cybersecurity initiatives, information standards development and promotion of interoperability efforts. In recent years, ONC Workforce Development Program efforts have been focused on updating training materials in four areas: population health, care coordination, new care delivery and payment models, and value based/patient centered care. Additionally, a goal of training 6,000 incumbent healthcare workers across various types of care facilities to use new health information technology has been identified. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is at the forefront of America’s health information technology efforts and is a resource to the nation’s health system to support the adoption of health information technology and the promotion of national health information exchange to improve health care and patient outcomes. ONC is the principal federal entity charged with coordination of nationwide efforts to implement and use the most advanced health information technology and the electronic exchange of health information. ONC was instrumental in the development of HSSC’s CITIA-SC initiative that aimed to improve the health and quality of life of South Carolinians through the use of electronic health information as a critical tool for achieving enhanced clinical effectiveness, improved overall performance of the health care system and better overall value for all patient consumers Learn more about the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
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, under the Obama Administration.[6] Mission[edit]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[edit]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[edit]Micky Tripathi PhD. (January 20, 2021 – Present)Don Rucker, MD (April 2017 – January 2021)Jon White, MD (interim, January 2017 – April 2017)White briefly served as acting National Coordinator prior to the appointment of Donald Rucker.[8][9]Vindell Washington (12 August 2016 – 19 January 2017)Washington previously served as Principal Deputy National Coordinator.[10]Karen DeSalvo (13 January 2014 – 12 August 2016)DeSalvo became National Coordinator for Health Information Technology on January 13, 2014,[11] 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.[12] DeSalvo left ONC on August 12, 2016 to focus on her work as Acting Assistant Secretary of Health.[10]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.[13] He served as ONC's Deputy National Coordinator when Karen DeSalvo became National Coordinator.[11]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.[citation needed]David Blumenthal (20 April 2009 – 2011)Physician and Harvard Medical School Professor David Blumenthal was appointed National Coordinator on March 20, 2009 and assumed the position on 20 April 2009.[14][15] 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.[citation needed]Robert Kolodner (interim, 18 September 2006; permanent, 18 April 2007 – 20 April 2009)Psychiatrist Robert Kolodner became Acting National Coordinator on September 18, 2006,[16] and was formally appointed as National Coordinator of Health Information Technology on April 18, 2007.[17] He retired from the federal government on September 23, 2009.[18]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.[16]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.[citation needed] Brailer resigned from the position on April 20, 2006.[19]Programs[edit]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.[20] 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.[21] ONC Programs The following ONC programs[22] 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.[27][28]
Advisory committees[edit]In January 2018, the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC) was established as required under the 21st Century Cures Act. https://www.healthit.gov/hitac/committees/health-information-technology-advisory-committee-hitac Term: 2021-current Co-Chair: Aaron Miri Co-Chair: Denise Webb Term: 2018-2020 Co-Chair: Robert Wah Co-Chair: Carolyn Peterson
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.[29] 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.[30] References[edit]
Further reading[edit]
External links[edit]
What is the purpose of the office of the national coordinator for health information technology?The purpose of ONC is to promote a national health information technology (HIT) infrastructure and oversee its development. For healthcare providers, ONC is associated with nationwide efforts to provide electronic health records (EHR) to patients as a way to better curb medical errors and eliminate paper records.
What is the responsibility of the Office of the National Coordinator ONC for health information technology?The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), a staff division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the lead agency charged with formulating the Federal Government's health information technology strategy and coordinating federal health IT policies, standards, ...
Which of the following is the role of ONC?The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology is charged with the development of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure that allows for the electronic use and exchange of health information.
Who is the national coordinator of ONC?Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. |