The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is pleased to announce the launch of its new website, HealthIT.gov.  This website is designed to become a high value national resource on health information technology (health IT) for both patients and health care professionals.

What Is Health IT.gov?

ONC, and its federal partners, created HealthIT.gov to provide critical, reliable information on health IT and electronic health records (EHRs) to wider audiences. This new website:

• Offers resources to patients and providers who may have little experience with health IT
• Answers the questions that people are asking in simple, direct language that makes sense

About HealthIT.gov

The new website has two “sides”—one for health care providers and professionals, and one for patients and their family members.  Patients and families can learn about:

• The benefits of health IT
• Accurate information about their privacy rights
• Topics on improving health and health care to discuss with their doctor—all in language that’s clear, credible, and compelling
• Stories from patients about how health IT has helped improve their care

Professionals will be able to:

• Learn how doctors and others are using health IT to improve care
• Get step-by-step information about making the transition to EHRs
• Find out how to connect with their local Regional Extension Center (REC)
• Get advice about how to make sure sensitive information remains private and secure

Putting the “I” in Health IT

Health is personal. It’s personal for the parent who has a child with asthma.  It’s personal for the patient with a new cancer diagnosis. And it’s personal for the doctor who is responsible for caring for them.

HealthIT.gov isn’t focused on government policy or numbers.  It’s about patients and the people who care for them.  It’s about helping them get the information they need, connecting them to resources that empower them to make changes, and improving the nation’s health—one person at a time.

The website is designed to invite active participation and make complex subjects relatable. It lets personal stories fuel the national movement toward adoption of EHRs. It puts the “I” in Health IT.

Whether you are a parent who is wondering what steps are in place to protect the privacy of her family’s health information, or a physician who is daunted by the idea of transitioning to an EHR, HealthIT.gov has the resources to help answer your questions.

Two Websites, One Message

ONC’s existing website will remain housed at healthIT.hhs.gov. The HHS site will become more policy and program-focused, and HealthIT.gov will serve as a primary resource for providers and patients who are interested in learning more about how health IT can help improve their health and health care. And HealthIT.gov will connect people seeking more detailed information to the appropriate resource, whether that’s ONC’s HHS site for policy, the Office for Civil Rights for information about privacy rights, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for information on the EHR Incentive Programs, or the local REC for implementation support.

ONC Needs Your Help

In order to continue to add relevant content to the website and ensure that its messages resonate with its audiences, ONC needs feedback.  Help HealthIT.gov grow—include your comments and suggestions in the section below.