Topics in This Section
FACA Committees
The Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) created the Health IT Policy Committee and the Health IT Standards Committee to make recommendations on a policy framework to support the development and adoption of a nationwide health information infrastructure, and to recommend standards for the use and exchange of health information.
Beacon Community Program
The Beacon Community Program’s aim is to help communities generate a more robust, integrated, body of knowledge that can be shared broadly to improve care at the local level, and ultimately inform national policy. Beacon Communities are tackling many of the most prevalent health care issues conditions today.
Workforce Program
Health IT is shaping the future of health care. As health care providers implement electronic health records and America’s health care system embraces new technologies and, there will be a growing demand for skilled health IT professionals. To help meet that demand ONC funded the Workforce Development Program, which is designed to train a new workforce of health IT professionals.
HITECH Programs
On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Administered by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC), the Act contains specific incentives designed to accelerate the adoption of health information technology (HIT) by the health care industry, health care providers, consumers, and patients. Its goal is to enable improvements in health care quality, increase affordability, and improve health care outcomes for all Americans.
ONC is the principal Federal entity charged with coordination of nationwide efforts to implement and use the most advanced health information technology and the electronic exchange of health information. Read more about ONC programs, get information about the Consumer eHealth Program, learn about state health information exchange, or find out how Regional Extension Centers are helping health care providers become meaningful users of EHRs.
