ONC reorganizes for push on EHR, HITECH goals December 3, 2009
Posted by gonzalezloumiet in HHS.Tags: HHS, HITECH
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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Office of the Secretary
Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority; Office of
the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of
Authority The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information
Technology has reorganized its substructure components in order to more
effectively meet the mission outlined by The Health Information
Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, part of the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The
reorganization affects all four of the original Director-level offices:
the Office of Health Information Technology Adoption (OHITA); the
Office of Interoperability and Standards (OIS); Office of Programs and
Coordination (OPC); and the Office of Policy and Research (OPR). The
new organizational structure is composed of five offices with direct
reporting capability to the National Coordinator for Health Information
Technology (National Coordinator): the Office of Economic Modeling and
Analysis; the Office of the Chief Scientist; the Office of the Deputy
National Coordinator for Programs & Policy; the Office of the Deputy
National Coordinator for Operations, and the Office of the Chief
Privacy Officer.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marc Weisman, Office of the National
Coordinator, Office of the Secretary, 200 Independence Ave., NW.,
Washington, DC 20201, 202-690-6285.
Part A, Office of the Secretary, Statement of Organization,
Functions, and Delegations of Authority for the Department of Health
and Human Services, Part A, as last amended at 70 FR 48718-48720, dated
August 19, 2005, is amended to reflect the restructuring of the Office
of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) as
follows:
I. Under Part A, Chapter AR, Office of the National Coordinator for
Health Information Technology delete, ``Section AR.10 Organization,''
in its entirety and replace with the following:
Section AR.10 Organization. The Office of the National Coordinator
for Health Information Technology (ONC) is under the direction of the
National Coordinator for Health Information Technology who reports
directly to the Secretary. The office consists of the following
components:
A. Immediate Office of the National Coordinator (ARA)
B. Office of Economic Modeling and Analysis (ARB)
C. Office of the Chief Scientist (ARC)
D. Office of the Deputy National Coordinator For Programs & Policy
(ARD)
E. Office of the Deputy National Coordinator For Operations (ARE)
F. Office of the Chief Privacy Officer (ARF)
II. Under Part A, Chapter AR, Office of the National Coordinator
for Health Information Technology, Section AR.20 Functions, Chapter B,
delete, ``Office of the Health Information Technology Adoption (ARB),''
in its entirety and replace with the following:
B. Office of Economic Modeling and Analysis (ARB): The Office of
Economic Modeling and Analysis works with and reports directly to the
National Coordinator. The Office: (1) Applies advanced mathematical or
quantitative modeling to the U.S. health care system for simulating the
microeconomic and macroeconomic effects of investing in health
information technology and (2) provides advanced policy analysis of
health information technology strategies and policies to the National
Coordinator. Such modeling will be used with varying public policy
scenarios to perform advanced health care policy analysis for
requirements of the Recovery Act, such as reductions in health care
costs resulting from adoption and use of health information technology.
The results of these analyses provided to the National Coordinator will
inform strategies to enhance the use of health information technology
in improving the quality and efficiency of health care and improving
public health.
III. Under Part A, Chapter AR, Office of the National Coordinator
for Health Information Technology, Section AR.20 Functions, Chapter C,
delete, ``Office of Interoperability and Standards (ARC),'' in its
entirety and replace with the following:
C. Office of the Chief Scientist (ARC): The Office of the Chief
Scientist is headed by the Chief Scientist. The Office of the Chief
Scientist is responsible for: (1) Applying research methodologies to
perform evaluation studies of health information technology grant
programs; (2) identifying, tracking and supporting innovations in
health information technology; (3) leading research activities mandated
under the HITECH Act provisions of ARRA; (4) promoting applications of
health information technology that support basic and clinical research;
(5) collecting and communicating knowledge of health care informatics
from and to international audiences; (6) collaborating with other
agencies and departments on assessments of new health information
technology programs; and (7) developing and maintaining educational
programs for staff of the Office of the National Coordinator and
advising the National Coordinator concerning the educational needs of
the field of HIT. The Office of the Chief Scientist possesses and
utilizes specialized knowledge of medical bioinformatics, which
involves the study and application of advanced information methods and
technologies in support of health care and population health.
IV. Under Part A, Chapter AR, Office of the National Coordinator
for Health Information Technology, Section AR.20 Functions, Chapter D,
delete, ``Office of Programs and Coordination (ARE),'' in its entirety
and replace with the following:
D. Office of the Deputy National Coordinator for Programs & Policy
(ARD): The Office of the Deputy National Coordinator for Programs &
Policy is headed by the Deputy National Coordinator for Programs &
Policy. The Office of the Deputy National Coordinator for Programs &
Policy is responsible for: (1) Implementing and overseeing grant
programs that advance the nation toward universal meaningful use of
interoperable health information technology in support of health care
and population health; (2) coordinating among HHS agencies and offices
and among relevant executive branch agencies and the public health
information technology programs and policies to avoid duplication of
efforts and inconsistent activities; (3) developing the mechanisms for
establishing and implementing standards necessary for nationwide health
information exchange; (4)
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formulating policy for the privacy and security of health information;
(5) developing policies as may be otherwise necessary for implementing
its mission; and (6) maintaining a Federal Health IT Strategic Plan.
V. Under Part A, Chapter AR, Office of the National Coordinator for
Health Information Technology, Section AR.20 Functions, Chapter E,
delete, ``Office of Policy and Research (ARF),'' in its entirety and
replace with the following:
E. Office of the Deputy National Coordinator for Operations (ARE):
The Office of the Deputy National Coordinator for Operations is headed
by the Deputy National Coordinator for Operations. The Office of the
Deputy National Coordinator for Operations is responsible for
performing the activities that support the Office of the National
Coordinator for Health Information Technology's numerous programs.
These include: (1) Budget formulation and execution; (2) contracts and
grants management; (3) facilities management; (4) human resources; (5)
stakeholder communications; and (6) financial and human capital
strategic planning.
VI. Under Part A, Chapter AR, Office of the National Coordinator
for Health Information Technology, Section AR.20 Functions, immediately
following Chapter E, insert the following:
F. Office of the Chief Privacy Officer (ARF): The Office of the
Chief Privacy Officer is headed by the Chief Privacy Officer, who
advises the National Coordinator as directed by the ARRA. The Chief
Privacy Officer may also report to other individuals, as necessary. The
Chief Privacy Officer of the Office of the National Coordinator for
Health Information Technology will be appointed by the Secretary. The
Office of the Chief Privacy Officer is responsible for: (1) advising
the National Coordinator on privacy, security, and data stewardship of
electronic health information and (2) coordinating the Office of the
National Coordinator for Health Information Technology's efforts with
similar privacy officers in other Federal agencies, State and regional
agencies, and foreign countries with regard to the privacy, security,
and data stewardship of electronic, individually identifiable health
information.
VII. Delegation of Authority. Pending further delegation,
directives or orders by the Secretary or by the National Coordinator
for Health Information Technology, all delegations and redelegations of
authority made to officials and employees of affected organizational
components will continue in them or their successors pending further
redelegations, provided they are consistent with this reorganization.
Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3101.
Dated: November 20, 2009.
Kathleen Sebelius,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-28755 Filed 11-30-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4150-24-P
HHS releases $80 million to train HIT workforce November 30, 2009
Posted by gonzalezloumiet in Uncategorized.Tags: Education, HHS, HITECH
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November 24, 2009 | Diana Manos, Senior Editor
WASHINGTON – The Department of Health and Human Services will release $80 million in grants to help develop and strengthen the health information technology workforce.
The grants consist of $70 million for community college training programs and $10 million to develop educational materials to support the programs, said David Blumenthal, MD, the national coordinator for health information technology, during a Tuesday morning press call.
Both programs will support the immediate need for skilled HIT professionals who will enable the broad adoption and use of healthcare IT throughout the United States, he said. The funding is authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and is the first that will fund a series of programs to help strengthen and support the healthcare IT workforce.
Additional details regarding the grant programs will be announced over the next several weeks, Blumenthal said.
"Ensuring the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), information exchange among healthcare providers and public health authorities and redesign of workflows within healthcare settings all depend on having a qualified pool of workers," he said. "The expansion of a highly skilled workforce developed through these programs will help healthcare providers and hospitals implement and maintain EHRs and use them to strengthen delivery of care."
According to Blumenthal, the community college program will establish intensive, non-degree training that can be completed in six months or less by individuals with some background in either healthcare or IT. Participating colleges will coordinate their efforts through five regional consortia.
Graduates will fill a variety of roles that both assist healthcare practices during the critical process of deploying IT systems and support these practices on an ongoing basis.
The curriculum development program will make high-quality educational materials available to the community colleges so these training programs can be established quickly to meet workforce needs, Blumenthal said.
Any U.S. non-profit institution of higher learning currently engaged in providing healthcare IT training that is interested in drafting curriculum or establishing a consortium that includes community colleges may apply for the grants.
"Critical to achieving the goal of the Heath Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act and supporting meaningful use of healthcare IT is the availability of a skilled workforce that understands the unique technology and management needs within a clinical setting," Blumenthal said. "These newly funded programs are designed to equip the most qualified and advanced IT workforce in the world with the tools they need to modernize our health system."
Source: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/hhs-releases-80-million-train-hit-workforce
Meaningful" Progress Toward Electronic Health Information Exchange A Message from Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology October 2, 2009
Posted by gonzalezloumiet in Blumenthal.Tags: Blumenthal, HITECH
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I recently reported on our announcement of State Health Information Technology Grants and grants to establish Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers, as authorized under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Recovery Act).
Today I want to discuss the important term “meaningful use” of electronic health records (EHRs) – both as a concept that underlies the movement toward an electronic health care environment and as a practical set of standards that will be issued as a proposed regulation by the end of 2009.
The HITECH Act provisions of the Recovery Act create a truly historic opportunity to transform our health system through unprecedented investments in the development of a nationwide electronic health information system. This system will ultimately help facilitate, inform, measure, and sustain improvements in the quality, efficiency, and safety of health care available to every American. Simply put, health professionals will be able to give better care, and their patients’ experience of care will improve, leading to better health outcomes overall.
As many of you are aware, the HITECH Act provides incentive payments to doctors and hospitals that adopt and meaningfully use health information technology. Eligible physicians, including those in solo or small practices, can receive up to $44,000 over five years under Medicare or $63,750 over six years under Medicaid for being meaningful users of certified electronic health records. Hospitals that become meaningful EHR users could receive up to four years of financial incentive payments under Medicare beginning in 2011, and up to six years of incentive payments under Medicaid beginning in October 2010.
The HITECH Act’s financial incentives demonstrate Congress’ and the Administration’s commitment to help those who want to improve their care delivery, and will serve as a catalyst to accelerate and smooth the path to HIT adoption by more individual providers and organizations. The dollars are tangible evidence of a national determination to bring health care into the 21st century.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is charged with coordinating nationwide efforts to implement and use the most advanced health information technology and the electronic exchange of health information. ONC is working with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), through an open and transparent process, on efforts to officially designate what constitutes “meaningful use.”
ONC has already engaged in a broad range of efforts to support the development of a formal definition of meaningful use. The HITECH Act designated a federal advisory committee, the HIT Policy Committee, with broad representation from major health care constituencies, to provide recommendations to ONC on meaningful use. The HIT Policy Committee has provided two sets of recommendations, informed by input from a variety of stakeholders. ONC and CMS have also conducted a series of listening sessions to solicit feedback from more than 200 representatives of various constituent groups and an open comment period where over 800 public comments were submitted and reviewed. The second set of recommendations on meaningful use was issued at a July 16 HIT Policy Committee meeting and details can be found at healthit.hhs.gov/policycommittee.
CMS is expected to publish a formal definition of meaningful use, for the purposes of receiving the Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments, by December 31, 2009. At that time, the public will be able to comment on the definition, and such comments will be considered in reaching any final definition of the term.
By focusing on “meaningful use,” we recognize that better health care does not come solely from the adoption of technology itself, but through the exchange and use of health information to best inform clinical decisions at the point of care. Meaningful use of EHRs, we anticipate, will also enable providers to reduce the amount of time spent on duplicative paperwork and gain more time to spend with their patients throughout the day. It will lead us toward improvements and sustainability of our health care system that can only be attained with the help of a reliable and secure nationwide electronic health information system.
The concept of meaningful use is simple and inspiring, but we recognize that it becomes significantly more complex at a policy and regulatory level. As a result, we expect that any formal definition of “meaningful use” must include specific activities health care providers need to undertake to qualify for incentives from the federal government.
Ultimately, we believe “meaningful use” should embody the goals of a transformed health system. Meaningful use, in the long-term, is when EHRs are used by health care providers to improve patient care, safety, and quality.
What’s next?
As stated above, the next step in our process is a notice of proposed rulemaking in late 2009 with a public comment period in early 2010. As this process unfolds, we will continue to talk and share experiences about transitioning to EHRs, and to help deepen understanding among physicians and hospitals about the use of EHRs. We will also present programs designed to help smooth the transition process, and identify activities physicians and hospitals can engage in now to promote adoption of EHRs. As efforts advance, we will turn our attention to other necessary supporting programs, some of which you will hear more about in the coming weeks, including defining what constitutes a “certified” EHR, which is one of the requirements to qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentives.
In the meantime, what can providers do to move toward becoming “meaningful users” – even in the absence of a formal definition? Naturally, while understanding that the final definition will be adopted through a formal rulemaking process, it will be helpful to be as familiar as possible with the discussion of meaningful use criteria to date. (You will find that information posted at healthit.hhs.gov/meaningfuluse.)
Armed with an understanding of the discussion of meaningful use as it unfolds, providers can begin to consider how their own practices or organizations might be reshaped to enhance the efficiency and quality of care through the use of an electronic health record system. Be assured you will not be alone as you seek to adopt an EHR system. Through our recently announced collaborative HITECH grants programs and others to be initiated later this year, we will continue to support providers in moving forward. Additional details about the grants are also available in my previous update and at healthit.hhs.gov/HITECHgrants.
To some providers, particularly small or already stretched physician practices or small, rural hospitals, the path toward meaningful use may still seem arduous. To others, who would just prefer to stick with the “status quo,” it may seem like an unwanted intrusion. We believe that the time has come for coordinated action. The price of inaction – in adverse events, lost patient lives, delayed or improper treatments, unnecessary procedures, excessive costs, and so on – is just too high, and will only get worse.
There is much at stake and much to do. We must relieve the crushing burden of health care costs in this country by improving efficiency, and assuring the highest level of patient care and safety regardless of geography or demographics. By using current technologies in a meaningful way, as well as technology to be developed in the future, we will take great strides toward solving some of the most vexing problems facing our health care system and creating a new platform for innovative solutions to health care.
Sincerely,
David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P.
National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
This letter is part of a series of ongoing updates from the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) encourages you to share this information as we work together to enhance the quality, safety and value of care and the health of all Americans through the use of electronic health records and health information technology.
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