The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced that the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has been renamed and restructured. This change will impact several functions of the office, including technology, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence strategy.
Previously, data and technology in healthcare and human services has been distributed among several Offices within the agency. However, this reorganization will consolidate those functions into the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC). Micky Tripathi, head of the ONC, will become the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and remain the National Coordinator for Health IT. Tripathi will also serve as Acting Chief AI Officer.
Under the ASTP, there will be additional offices, including an Office of Policy, an Office of Technology, an Office of Standards, Certification and Analysis and an Office of the Chief Operating Officer. The offices will implement the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act and the 21st Century Cures Act and will also play a role in interoperability efforts and health information technology initiatives.
Under ONC, a new Office of the Chief Technology Officer will be established, with a chief AI officer, a chief data officer and a new Office of Digital Services. The Office will be responsible for overseeing data governance, technology, and cybersecurity throughout HHS. ASTP/ONC has launched a search to fill the permanent positions of Chief Technology Officer, Chief AI Officer, and Chief Data Officer to build dedicated talent for this vital team.
The Chief AI Officer will be responsible for setting AI strategy and policy for HHS; establishing internal governance, policies, and risk management approaches for uses of AI internal to HHS; nd coordinate the AI approach of HHS in the health and human services sectors. The Chief Data Officer will oversee data governance and policy development; manage the HHS data strategy; and manage HHS data as a strategic asset.
“In addition to our ongoing work in health IT, we will now lead HHS technology and data policy and strategy to help ensure that our complex and multi-faceted department continues to be more than the sum of its parts,” Tripathi stated in the blog post about the change. Tripathi noted that “ONC-certified products are now used by 97% of hospitals and 80% of physician offices across the country, making the program a bulwark of our health care delivery system.”
“Cybersecurity, data, and artificial intelligence are some of the most pressing issues facing the health care space today. As a Department, HHS must be agile, accountable, and strategic to meet the needs of this moment,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a statement. “For decades, HHS has worked across the organization to ensure appropriate and safe use of technology, data, and AI to advance the health and well-being of the American people. This reorganization builds on that success and prepares the Department for the challenges that lie ahead.”
“ONC already plays a critical role in health IT across our agencies and with industry. This reorganization builds on those capabilities to advance all our strategic, mission-focused technology, data, and AI policies and activities,” said HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm. “These organizational changes will ensure that HHS is best situated to serve the American people during this incredibly dynamic time in the technology space.”