On March 27, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) released a draft 2024-2030 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan to outline federal health information technology goals and objectives to improve access to health data, support delivering better, more equitable health care experiences, and modernize public health data infrastructure. The draft plan was developed collaboratively with more than 25 federal organizations that regulate, purchase, develop, and use health IT to help deliver care and improve patient health, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Veterans Health Administration.
The plan presents four goals for the rest of the decade: promote health and wellness, enhance the delivery and experience of care, accelerate research and Innovation, and connect the health system with health data. These goals build off six federal health IT principles: person-centered, inclusive design; safety and quality; privacy and security; data-led decision-making; increase health equity across all populations; and encourage innovation and competition. To meet these goals, the report noted federal planning to enact policy for each underlying strategic objective. For example, the report related the intention to pursue policymaking focused on the privacy and security of electronic health information and on the use of artificial intelligence technologies in health care.
The ONC will accept comments on the draft plan via its website through May 28.