United States Department of Health and Human Services
Decorative bullet image: Home
Decorative bullet image: Questions?
Decorative bullet image: Contact Us
Decorative bullet image: Site Map
HHS Logo Bottom
spacer image
    

ONCHIT Home

 

 

Office of the National Health Information Technology Coordinator (ONCHIT)

Welcome

In an Executive Order issued on April 27, 2004, President George W. Bush called for widespread deployment of health information technology within 10 years. As part of this announcement, he formed the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT). An important aspect of the President's initiative is the development of a nationwide interoperable health information technology infrastructure that can facilitate improvements in safety, quality, efficiency, and care coordination.

Secretarial Summit on Health Information Technology

Health and Human Services (DHHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson has made enhancing the quality and safety of health care for all Americans through better use and wider application of information technology one of his most important priorities. A special Secretarial Summit on Health Information Technology (HIT) will launch this year's National Health Information Infrastructure (NHII) Conference: Cornerstones for Electronic Healthcare. The Summit will take place on Wednesday, July 21, 2004, from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., at the Washington Convention Center and will feature Secretary Tommy G. Thompson as the opening keynote address as well as a keynote speech from The Honorable Bill Frist, M.D., United States Senate Majority Leader. View the agenda

As the new National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, David J. Brailer will present a progress report on a strategic plan for the adoption of a national health information technology infrastructure called upon in the President's April 27, 2004, Executive Order. This presentation will be followed by three reactor panels that will represent both the public and private sectors. The public panels will include Congressional leaders and key agency heads from the Federal government. The private panel will include a host of influential panelists from the business community and will be introduced by John Chambers, President and CEO, Cisco Systems.

This event will build on the work initiated at last year's NHII conference and will give the various individuals who volunteered to focus on particular issues at the Secretary's May 6th Summit an opportunity to meet and participate in formal work groups as well as provide feedback on a national action plan. This year's NHII Conference will commence directly after the HIT Summit and will include a variety of topic area workgroups. The conference and the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics (NCVHS) NHII Workgroup hearings that immediately follow the Summit are opportunities for all stakeholders to further contribute to an action plan that will lead to widespread implementation and adoption of information technology to improve the care for all Americans.

Last revised: September 2, 2004

HHS Home | Questions? | Contact HHS | Site Map | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Freedom of Information Act | Disclaimers

The White House | FirstGov