The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) plays a vital role as a supporter, promoter, and coordinator, and it works with the federal administration as it aims to adopt and standardize health IT nationwide. Organizationally, the ONC is positioned within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and is the principal federal entity tasked with leading the nationwide adoption and advancement of health IT.
The objective of the ONC comes in two parts: To advance the development and utilization of health information technology, also known as "health IT," and to establish new expectations for electronic data capture, storage, and sharing. As such, tech advancements such as mobile health (mHealth) are as relevant to the ONC's mission as concerns and regulations regarding data privacy.
Why Was It Created?
The ONC was established alongside the National Coordinator position, mandated in 2004 under Executive Order 13335. The ONC later became part of national legislation in 2009 with the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act).
In addition to reinforcing the ONC's role in leading health IT adoption, the HITECH Act spearheaded specific initiatives by encouraging electronic health record (EHR) adoption and increasing penalties for professionals who violated the privacy and security rules of HIPAA.
Since 2009, the ONC has maintained several programs under the HITECH Act, including 62 Regional Extension Centers (RECs) across the country that support healthcare professionals in adopting new health information technology. The ONC also operates the Beacon Community Program, which spotlights how health IT adoption can improve access to better care at a lower cost.
How TempDev Can Help You Understand The ONC's Guidelines
TempDev’s team of experienced consultants, developers, and trainers is here to support enhanced accessibility and customized features and templates. This enables you and your patients to have more control over data with improved transparency.
As part of our streamlining process, we help you implement the Patient Portal, API, and other tools to better support safety, patient engagement, and security. TempDev offers the comprehensive resources and tools you need to ensure compliance from dashboards to automation and workflow redesign.
Contact us here or by calling us at 888.TEMP.DEV to ensure compliance with the ONC's guidelines.
Interested?
Agree with our point of view? Become our client!
Please submit your business information and a TempDev representative will follow up with you within 24 hours.
