HHS finalizes Federal Healthcare IT Strategy 2024-2030
The Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy within the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has released his final Federal Health IT Strategy 2024-2030, which aims to improve healthcare delivery and experiences for patients, caregivers, providers, public health professionals, and to improve others. in the care continuum.
By focusing on person-centered, inclusive design first among the federal Principles of Health Information Technology, ASTP says the plan aims to “strengthen individuals’ ability to securely access and use their own health information to gain greater control over their own health.”
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
In accordance with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, HHS developed the new Healthcare IT Strategic Plan, published September 30, to present federal goals and objectives and detail how federal agencies will regulate, purchase , develop, finance, research and use healthcare IT to improve patient care and health outcomes.
The draft, which ASTP released for public comment in March, followed an extensive and collaborative effort with more than 25 federal agencies central to the advancement of healthcare IT, according to HHS.
As part of Goal 1, the federal government plans to “support individuals in accessing and using their EHI safely, privately, and without special effort.”
A big part of helping unserved or underserved populations—low-income people, members of racial, ethnic, tribal, and rural communities, and individuals with disabilities—access and use electronic health information in a safe and easy way , consists of “expanding access to affordable smartphones, broadband and other connected technologies.”
That goal is tied to improving broadband access in both rural and urban areas, the strategy document.
One objective of Goal 4 directs federal agencies to “improve and expand broadband access, adoption, and use and promote the availability of critical communications infrastructure and services” to address identified IT infrastructure needs and gaps in the address healthcare.
“The plan recognizes how our health care system can benefit from cutting-edge communications infrastructure, especially in rural and underserved areas – allowing us to better engage individuals, their caregivers and physicians across the care continuum and drive high-quality care while reducing costs. Michele Ellison, general counsel of the Federal Communications Commission and chair of the agency’s Connect2Health Task Force, said in the HHS statement.
THE BIG TREND
In the final federal healthcare IT strategy, the administration said it plans to build on progress from the previous plan, which aimed to make appropriate sharing of electronic health records “the expected standard in healthcare.” to make.
To this end, the Federal Strategic Plan for Health IT 2020-2025 promoted a modern healthcare IT infrastructure and addressed barriers to access, exchange and use of EHI.
Note that as of September 17, “more than 41,500 facilities in all 50 states and two territories are actively sending electronic initial case reports to public health agencies using electronic case reporting as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Data Modernization Initiative,” according to the 2024 strategy document- 2030.
The federal government also highlighted the policy and technology components needed to support the diverse data needs of all healthcare IT users, noting that the 2024-2030 strategy includes the final Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Certification Program Updates , Algorithm Transparency and Information Sharing supports. rule, known as HTI-1.
On the cybersecurity side, it also aligns with the HHS Healthcare Sector Cybersecurity Concept Document and the voluntary healthcare-specific Cybersecurity Performance Goals.
Although the American Hospital Association has said it supports the CPGs, the provider has pushed back on an earlier HHS proposal to penalize hospitals for cyberattacks, which the agency included in its cybersecurity strategy document released last year.
Then in July — after the Change Healthcare and Ascension cyberattacks — U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Virginia, wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger urging them to end voluntary cybersecurity requirements and adopt minimum cyber standards to be determined. already taken into consideration mandatory.
ON THE RECORD
“The release of our latest Healthcare IT Strategy is the result of partnerships across the federal government to examine the forces shaping the healthcare ecosystem today and develop a set of strategies that will guide prioritizing resources and aligning and coordinating federal healthcare IT initiatives and activities. , communicate priorities to industry, and benchmark and assess progress over time,” said Micky Tripathi, assistant secretary for technology policy and national coordinator for health information technology, in an HHS statement.
Andrea Fox is editor-in-chief of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.
The HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Forum will take place from October 31 to November 1 in Washington, DC More information and registration.