Welcome to the Health IT Buzz Blog
Learn more about HHS’s Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)
Building The Value-Based Health Care System Of The Future Depends On Meeting Clinicians’ Data Needs
Dr. Vindell Washington | January 17, 2017
Data is the lifeblood of the value-based payment environment. Every time a doctor takes care of a patient, we have an opportunity to use information in ways that help patients get better care. The goal is to use the information from each patient encounter to make the next encounter better – across the entire healthcare system. But it is easier said than done. As we prepare to transition from this administration, we’d like to take stock of what our nation has accomplished and to lay out a potential roadmap for the next administration.
Read Full Post.
Interoperability We Need Your Input! The New, Interactive Version of the Interoperability Standards Advisory
Steven Posnack | January 12, 2017
On January 10, ONC submitted the recently published 2017 Interoperability Standards Advisory (ISA), a catalog of standards and implementation specifications that are or could be used to advance the seamless and secure flow of electronic health information, to the Health IT Policy and Health IT Standards Committees for review and discussion.
Read Full Post.
Privacy and Security, The Real HIPAA HIPAA Supports Electronic Exchange of Health Information at the Federal, State, and Local Level
Lucia Savage | January 11, 2017
Important work to ensure the health system is functioning properly is conducted by a wide variety of entities at the federal, state, and local level. These agencies may license health care professionals or health insurance companies, administer a state Medicaid program, monitor compliance and efficacy of health care programs, and even ensure individual civil rights related to how organizations use patients’ health information. This important work sometimes requires that the oversight agency receive health information about individuals,
Read Full Post.
Privacy and Security A Road Map for States: Addressing Privacy and Policy Barriers to the Availability and Flow of Electronic Health Information
Lucia Savage | December 9, 2016
Data show that individuals expect to be able to access their health information, making it readily accessible and securely shared among their health care providers to support effective clinical decision-making. And here at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), we are committed to providing the electronic health information infrastructure to support the nation’s transition to a health system that rewards quality over quantity to achieve better care,
Read Full Post.
Privacy and Security, The Real HIPAA How HIPAA Supports Public Health through the Sharing of Electronic Health Information
Lucia Savage | December 8, 2016
Electronic health records provide structured clinical data that help public health workers track, mitigate, and eliminate disease. They also offer us the opportunity to improve health across the country and address public health crises such as Zika, Ebola, lead poisoning, and natural disasters.
Read Full Post.