The Department of Health and Human Services is seeking comment on the draft Federal Health IT Strategic Plan.
HHS' Office of the National Health Information Technology Coordinator (ONC), which released the draft on Wednesday, sets out four goals: “Promote health and wellness, enhance care delivery and experience, and accelerate research and innovation. , “Healthcare System and Medical Collaboration” Health Data. ” ONC said in a press release that it collaborated on this plan with 25 federal agencies that work with health IT through purchasing, development and regulation to improve health outcomes.
Among its overarching goals, the agency emphasized the need to focus on “the policy and technology components necessary to support” health IT users as they connect systems and data.
Importantly, ONC says the federal government plans to encourage “education, dissemination, and transparency” regarding the use of artificial intelligence, providing both individuals and health care providers with information about the technology's performance and privacy practices. It states that
“The role of health IT and easy access to health data has become increasingly essential to managing public health activities,” Jim Girgis, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Data Policy and Standards, said in a release. ” “CDC recognizes how the draft federal health IT strategic plan for 2024-2030 addresses the need to continue advancing the nation's public health data infrastructure while ensuring benefits to communities that need it most. I highly appreciate your response.”
Additionally, Meg Marshall, Director of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Veterans Health Administration, said in the release that the VA will also “ensure that veterans also benefit from the goals of a coordinated federal health IT strategy.” It said it was seeking comment.
Marshall's statement comes after a series of complaints about electronic health records operated by the Veterans Administration's Oracle Cerner, including patient safety issues with EHR pharmacy software and an oversight agency's report on veteran deaths related to scheduling errors. This is in response to the issue. The system was originally launched in 2020 with the purpose of “establishing interoperability of records between VAs.” [Department of Defense] Medical System”. The EHR will then be shut down in 2023 as part of the reset, and the ministry noted it is working to hold Oracle Cerner accountable for providing high-quality services.
Marshall said in a statement that ONC's draft plan “gives patients and providers direction toward a seamless healthcare experience” as the Veterans Administration works to modernize its EHR systems.
“More than that, the Draft Federal Health IT Strategic Plan serves as an actionable roadmap for the federal government to coordinate and coordinate health IT efforts in a transparent and accountable manner,” Marshall said. Ta.
