Health IT

Portrait of Chelsea Richwine

Physicians have Widespread Access to State PDMP Data, but Data Sharing Varies Across States

Chelsea Richwine | April 6, 2023

A recent ONC blog post showed physicians have widespread access to data from their state’s prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP). According to a 2021 national survey of office-based physicians, more than three-quarters of physician prescribers reported checking the PDMP prior to prescribing controlled substances to a patient for the first time. Prescriber use laws and ongoing efforts to integrate electronic health record (EHR) systems with state PDMPs likely contributed to high levels of PDMP use among physicians.

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Portrait of David Su

PHIT Students Put Their Informatics Education to Use

David Su | March 27, 2023

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) is one of 10 ONC Public Health Informatics & Technology (PHIT) Workforce Development Program awardees across the nation that are recruiting and training the next generation of diverse public health professionals in informatics and technology skills. With a goal of graduating 300 students/trainees of diverse backgrounds over the next four years, the PHIT Program at UCI aims to modernize the nation’s public health information infrastructure and address the issue of health disparities and inequities.

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Portrait of Donna Davidson

Addressing the Opioid Crisis and Beyond Through Health IT Advancements: The Role of PDMPs

Donna Davidson | March 21, 2023

Combatting the opioid epidemic has long been an HHS priority, and the department provides resources and technical assistance to states, health care providers, and other interested parties to assist in their efforts to address the crisis. ONC helps address the opioid epidemic through its support for the adoption of health IT and promotion of nationwide health information exchange, including through opportunities created by prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). The significance of this work is evident,

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Portrait of Jawanna Henry

FHIRed-SHIP: An approach to Health Equity by Design for 21st Century Healthcare

Jawanna Henry | March 2, 2023

Complete and accurate information on a patient’s social determinants of health (SDOH), including specific needs related to food, housing, and transportation insecurity, can help their clinicians and social services providers take a more holistic approach to an individual’s health and well-being. In order to meet demand for an extensive number of SDOH use cases, the healthcare ecosystem is working intensely to mature SDOH data exchange standards. In parallel, it is important for continued investment in the use of these standards to test them out and to develop innovative methods that can enhance the comprehensiveness of health IT systems and improve care referrals and bi-directional exchange across organizations.

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