This Week's News on HealthIT.gov

This Week's News on HealthIT.gov

Welcome to February! We all have just 28 days to do what normally takes 30 or 31, so let’s get started.

ONC's Chief Scientist, Dr. Doug Fridsma, outlines in a newly published blog post how standardization of sharable data will eventually lead to new and important uses of this information and technology.
Among the possible new uses of EHRs are: patient safety, clinical research, disease "surveillance," referrals for behavioral modification programs like smoking cessation and even pre-authorization of certain big-ticket medical devices.

This is just the latest in Dr. Fridsma's ongoing conversation with the health IT community – a series of blogs designed to explain the wide range of ONC's  work supporting interoperable health information exchange.

Health IT Journeys

Looking for case studies and best practices involving electronic health records (EHR)? Read our Health IT Journeys: Stories From the Road including the following hospital system that made Meaningful Use attestation work with their EHR:

• Making Meaningful Use Attestation Work, Using a Standalone EDIS 

For more data and information, visit the EHR implementation lifecycle steps and check out the National Learning Consortium (NLC).

HIT Accountable Care WG forming

The HIT Policy Committee's Accountable Care Workgroup is forming and will be charged with making recommendations on how HHS policies and programs can advance the evolution of a health IT infrastructure that enables providers to improve care and population health while reducing costs in accountable care models. The workgroup will focus on specific high priority areas where programs and policies can shape the availability and use of health IT infrastructure necessary for Accountable Care Organizations to realize the three part aim.

If you are interested in being considered for membership on this workgroup, please register at ONC's Workgroup Application Database. ONC will be reviewing the applications received by February 15, 2013.

For more information on the Committees and Workgroups, please visit the ONC FACA Website. Thank you for your interest in the Health IT Federal Advisory Committees.

Blue Button Video Contest
If you haven't watched the submissions for our Blue Button Video Contest, take a look. We have added a video from the Veterans Affairs department to our YouTube channel.

Town Hall
Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Join Dr Farzad Mostashari and senior staff at ONC for an open listening session on governance of health information exchange Feb. 14. This town hall will provide an overview of ONC's planned HIE governance activities along with an opportunity for participant stakeholders to provide feedback.  Input will be used to inform ONC activities and assist in advancing governance goals of nationwide health information exchange: increase interoperability, decrease the cost and complexity of exchange, and increase trust among participants to mobilize trusted exchange to support patient care.   Come prepared to share your ideas.

This free webinar – being co-hosted by the National eHealth Collaborative – begins at 3:00 p.m. EST sharp and runs to 4:30 p.m.  Sign up now, before it fills up.

Register to attend the Town Hall!
http://www.tsystem.com/tsystem/media/T-System-Media-Library/Documents/PDFs/HCI-Making-MU-Work-Reprint.pdf