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The following are 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.
For more information and to receive regular updates from ONC, please subscribe to our Health IT News list.
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The Age of Meaningful Use
All of us who are working to achieve adoption and meaningful use of electronic health records (EHR) throughout our health care system know that the journey is a long one. There will be many milestones along the way, each one hard-earned. But I believe that when we look back on the road we traveled, the year 2011 will stand out not merely as one more milestone, but as the time when medical care entered a new era – the age of meaningful use of health information.
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Our Journey Continues…
With the new year, we are turning the page to a next chapter in our journey to adoption and meaningful use of health information technology (HIT). As we begin this chapter, ONC is accelerating progress with new funding for programs vital to our goals.
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EHR Adoption Set to Soar
The tide is turning. An increasing number of office-based physician practices report having an electronic health record, according to a recent survey. Survey respondents also reported high levels of interest in adopting electronic health records and health information technology.
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Registration for EHR Incentive Programs Starts January 3, 2011: Are You Ready?
The New Year is just around the corner, and so is another milestone in our nation's work to improve health care through health information technology. Starting on January 3, 2011, eligible health care professionals, hospitals, and critical access hospitals may register to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.
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2010 ONC Update
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and other HHS agencies are dedicated to improving the nation’s health care through health information technology (health IT).
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A Letter to the Vendor Community: Health IT and Disparities
These are historic times. The HITECH Act is bringing the power of electronic health records to our health care system. We are writing to solicit your assistance in making sure that we are not creating a new form of “digital divide” and want to make sure that health IT vendors include providers who serve minority communities in their sales and marketing efforts.
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The Health IT Workforce Development Program: Help Is on the Way
When I talk with health professionals around the country about health information technology (health IT), they tell me they’re worried about a lack of technical support to help them become meaningful users of certified electronic health records (EHRs). Family physicians, in fact, say the lack of technical support is their biggest concern. Dr. Jason Mitchell of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Center for Health IT recently commented in an issue of AAFP News Now on the need for more resources to put people with expertise on the ground.
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Moving Toward Meaningful Use
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act set us on a mission to transform our health care system through the meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs). Since I assumed the role of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology 18 months ago, we have worked in concert and cooperation with other divisions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to advance that mission.
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Investing in the Future of Health Care with Electronic Health Records
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provides for an unprecedented amount of funding to improve the quality and efficiency of our health care system through health information technology. The HITECH Act’s historic investment in HIT will advance health care in our country through adoption and use of EHRs and other tools of our digital age.
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Establishment of the Temporary Certification Program for Electronic Health Information Technology
Like many innovations, the advent of health information technology has introduced its own vocabulary. As a practicing primary care physician, I can attest that terms like electronic health records, EHRs, certified EHR technology, and meaningful use are not typically used around most doctors’ offices and hospitals. However, as our nation moves towards a more technologically advanced system to improve health care, perhaps it’s time for us to make these words a part of our vocabulary. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is dedicated to helping you understand health IT concepts and what they mean for you.
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There Is No ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ in Building a Nationwide Health Information Network
Private and secure health information exchange enables information to follow the patient when and where it is needed for better care. The Federal government is working to enable a wide range of innovative and complementary approaches that will allow secure and meaningful exchange within and across states, but all of our efforts must be grounded in a common foundation of standards, technical specifications, and policies. Read more
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Establishing Beacons for Nationwide Advances in Health IT
Healthcare professionals appreciate opportunities to learn from innovative colleagues and communities – to see what really works, to get “boots-on-the-ground” perspectives, to learn best practices, and to use the experience of other leaders to inform how to improve performance more broadly. Read more
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Preparing Professionals for a Nationwide Health Care Transformation
I know that health care providers are concerned about implementing new health information technology and finding professionals who can operate and maintain such systems. I know many clinicians are unsure how they will develop or strengthen their skill set to incorporate using health IT efficiently and effectively without jeopardizing their communication with patients during a clinical visit. Read more
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Paving the Path to Progress with a Roadmap for Health IT
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is responsible for putting forward a vision for nationwide, interoperable health IT. Our work requires that we also support the creation of a learning health system that is patient-centered and uses information to continuously improve health and health care of individuals and the population. Read more
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Research and Innovation that Translates to Practice
Our quest to improve the health of Americans and the performance of our health care system depends critically on the use of electronic health records (EHRs) and the electronic exchange of health information. Read more
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Proposed Rule for the Establishment of Certification Programs for Health Information Technology
Today the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) outlining the proposed approach for establishing a certification program to test and certify electronic health records (EHRs). Read more
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Advancing Health Information Exchange
Today we announce the first cooperative agreement awards authorized by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. It marks a major milestone in our journey towards nationwide adoption and meaningful use of health information technology (health IT). Read more
2011/04/08 |
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Feature
Putting the I in Health IT
Visit healthIT.gov to learn more about how health IT is helping patients, doctors, and stakeholders get the information they need, empowering them to make changes, and improving the nation's health.
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