Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released the draft 2020-2025 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan for public comment. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) led the development of this plan with input from more than 25 federal organizations.

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Combatting the opioid crisis is a top priority for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the nation. Equipping healthcare providers with easy access to data about their patients’ opioid prescriptions is one strategy to help reduce opioid misuse. Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) are state-run databases that collect patient-specific prescription information at the point of care, or when a controlled substance is dispensed. PDMPs can be a tool for health care providers to improve prescribing practices,

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One in an occasional series of “Where-are-they-now?” posts about ONC Awardees
One of four High Impact Pilot recipients, which developed a care plan platform to help pharmacists coordinate care with patients, is now operating in all 50 states.

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According to new findings, the percent of clinicians who electronically prescribe controlled substances (EPCS) has increased. Despite this increase, overall EPCS rates remain low. The use of EPCS technology can help healthcare providers directly integrate opioid prescription information into electronic health records (EHRs), which can enhance patient safety and help deter diversion and fraud. ECPS technology can also streamline clinician workflow and reduce patient burden.

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As new public health crises emerge, health information technology (health IT) needs to evolve to enhance health care professionals’ ability to make informed clinical decisions, conduct reporting, and exchange health information.

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