ONC sets federal health IT plan for 2024-2030 and calls for public comment
The Office of the National Coordinator for Healthcare IT has made the concept of healthcare IT available Federal Strategic IT Health Plan 2024-2030 for public scrutiny and comment.
WHY IT MATTERS
The plan, which spans the remainder of this decade, is organized around four key goals to improve experiences and outcomes for healthcare IT users and address the policy and technology aspects needed to empower users of health IT and electronic health information to support.
The comment period is open for 60 days, with May 28 the deadline for review and comment on the draft plan.
This draft plan emphasizes the importance of equitable integration of healthcare IT into public health sectors and emphasizes the importance of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
At its core, the draft plan outlines a series of goals, objectives, and strategies intended to guide federal efforts in healthcare IT, with an emphasis on scientific innovation and revitalizing the nation’s public health infrastructure.
Central to its vision is recognition of the critical role played by policy and technological advances in ensuring the secure handling of diverse data requirements across all levels of healthcare IT stakeholders.
Emphasis is placed on providing improved patient access to EHI in all communities and improving education about patient-centered healthcare IT capabilities, particularly through mobile devices, along with outreach efforts on its use of AI in healthcare.
The report notes that policies and tools must support the rapid and scalable reporting and use of public health data, and that efforts should focus on developing, aligning, testing, and implementing data standards to strengthen interoperability among public health systems.
Another focus is on advances in forecasting and predictive analytics to enable more efficient decision-making in response to outbreaks and emerging threats, and on improving data connections to provide health IT users with evidence-based information.
Furthermore, the report states that efforts should be made to strengthen the data science capacity and capabilities of the public health workforce to ensure access to and effective use of EHI.
Once completed, the 2024-2030 Strategic Blueprint will serve as guidance for federal agencies and enable them to streamline resource allocation, synchronize efforts across agencies, communicate priorities to private sector partners, and set benchmarks for evaluating progress over time.
The evolution of IT and the ongoing wave of digitalization in healthcare – from internet-enabled medical devices to electronic health records (EHRs) have fundamentally changed the delivery and management of healthcare.
The establishment of standardized protocols, exemplified by initiatives such as the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) and Health Level Seven International (HL7) Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), has been a critical part of this digital evolution.
The ONC is also seeking input on its draft Core Data for Interoperability, version 5, along with examples of code sets used by health IT developers and implementers, with comments accepted until April 15.
These standardized frameworks have revolutionized the accessibility, interoperability, and usability of health information, creating a landscape where data sharing is not only feasible but efficient.
A recent one questionnaire found that more than 88 percent of hospitals now engage in electronically sending and retrieving patient health records.
Meanwhile, more than 60 percent of healthcare organizations have successfully integrated this information into their EHRs, streamlining clinical workflows and improving patient care.
ON THE RECORD
“The role of health IT and readily available access to health data has become increasingly important to managing public health activities,” Jim Jirjis, director of CDC’s data policy and standards division, said in a statement.
“CDC appreciates how the draft Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2024-2030 addresses the need to further develop the nation’s public health data infrastructure, while ensuring it benefits the communities it serves need most.”