By Andy Slavitt & Karen DeSalvo – As we mentioned in a speech previously, the Administration is working on an important transition for the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. We have been working side by side with physician organizations and have listened to the needs and concerns of many about how we can make improvements that will allow technology to best support clinicians and their patients.
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By Karen B. DeSalvo & Lucia Savage – In order to effectively manage their health, individuals need to be able to access and use their health information when, where, and how they want, including sending it to the people and tools helping them become or stay healthy.
By Karen B. DeSalvo – Recently, I spoke at the Bipartisan Policy Center about our vision for the near future where electronic health information is unlocked and securely accessible to achieve better care, smarter spending, and healthier people.
By Karen B. DeSalvo & Erica Galvez – This is a unique time in health care. Scientific and technological advancements made by you, our partners across the health industry, have been rapidly transforming health and health care in the nation. More than 3 million individuals have accessed their electronic health information using ONC’s Blue Button tool.
By Karen B. DeSalvo, Gretchen Wyatt, & Matthew Swain – Most people that use GPS navigation apps aren’t concerned with the backend development, the standards used, or whether the app is interoperable with other data sources – people just want to arrive at their destination quickly and safely.
By Karen B. DeSalvo & Brandon McBride – In late 2011, the President announced a White House Rural Council initiative lead by the HHS and USDA to invest in rural health and link rural doctors and hospitals to financing for health IT. The initiative was designed to address the need for financing to support the adoption of health IT systems in rural communities.
By Karen DeSalvo – I am optimistic about the bright future we have to leverage health information technology to enable better health for everyone in this country. One year ago, we called upon the health IT community to move beyond adoption and focus on interoperability, on unlocking the data, so it can be put to the many important uses demanded by consumers, doctors, hospitals, payers, and others who are part of the learning health system.
ONC DeSalvo announced the availability of $1 million in grant funds to support community projects for the Community Interoperability Health Information Exchange (HIE) Program.
By Karen B. DeSalvo – The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is committed to advancing an interoperable learning health system that impacts individual, community and population health. To achieve this goal in the next several years will require collective action from all public and private stakeholders, including consumers and community-based groups outside of what is traditionally considered the expected set of technology and health care entities.