HHS has published its updated and finalized health IT strategic plan for the next five years. If everything goes according to its authors’ vision, healthcare consumers will finally be using their smartphones to easily access all their medical information.
At least that’s the clear and understood aim of 2020-2025 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan.
Released Friday, the document incorporates input from more than 25 federal organizations as well as almost 100 public comments. It supersedes 2015-2020 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan, which came out in September of 2015.
HHS’s Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) led the effort that culminated with the plan’s publication.
“And the work is just beginning!” three ONC bloggers enthuse in an Oct. 30 post. “ONC—in collaboration with federal partners—will begin implementing the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan and will communicate progress through the Annual Update on the Adoption of a Nationwide System for the Electronic Use and Exchange of Health Information.”
The new plan fleshes out six guiding principles, portioning each into specific objectives and steps for attaining them.
The principles are:
- Putting individuals first by focusing on person-centered care;
- Focusing on value by promoting and pursuing activities that improve health and care quality;
- Building a culture of secure access to health information;
- Putting research into action;
- Encouraging innovation and competition; and
- Being a responsible steward by developing health IT policies through open, transparent and accountable processes.
In an HHS news release, Don Rucker, MD, national coordinator for health IT, says the new federal health IT strategic plan “continues the momentum created by the 21st Century Cures Act and reflects the federal government’s commitment to making patients’ electronic health information accessible on their smartphones.”
To download the plan document, click here.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.