The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology today released a final “roadmap” for achieving a national health IT infrastructure that facilitates the secure exchange and use of electronic health information by 2024. The plan, which ONC called a “living document” that will evolve as technology and policy require, focuses in the next two years on government and private-sector actions to increase the nation’s ability to “send, receive, find and use priority data elements to improve health and health care quality.” Subsequent actions focus on expanding interoperability and enabling a learning health system. AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said, “We appreciate the Administration’s recognition of health information exchange as a cornerstone of the health care system of the future, as outlined in the final interoperability roadmap. Progress will take combined efforts from all stakeholders, including vendors and providers. We look forward to working with the Department of Health and Human Services to create a policy environment that supports these efforts and accelerates the transition to the health care system of the future.” Meanwhile, the AHA today released a new report about the importance of interoperability and why it is vital to care coordination, patient engagement and population health. The report also outlines a number of challenges and policy questions for health care stakeholders to consider as they work to improve interoperability. 

Related News Articles

Headline
Microsoft July 22 released an update on the ongoing cyberattacks to SharePoint servers used within organizations, attributing the incidents to China-based…
Headline
The FBI, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Health and Human Services, and Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center…
Headline
Microsoft July 19 issued an alert about active attacks from vulnerabilities targeting SharePoint servers used within organizations. The incidents have not…
Headline
In his latest AHA Cyber and Risk Intel blog, Scott Gee, AHA deputy national advisor for cybersecurity and risk, explains how hospitals can prepare for and…
AHA Cyber Intel
In today’s heightened threat environment, driven by domestic and geopolitical issues, it is more critical than ever for hospitals to prepare for and mitigate…
Headline
In a statement submitted to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for a hearing today on health care cybersecurity and patient privacy,…