Thank you for the thoughtful discussion in response to my blog post “Strategy for Empowering Consumers.” As has consistently been ONC’s experience with the Health IT Buzz Blog, the points made in your responses have both broadened and sharpened our thinking. The blog itself highlights a lesson that has become clear for our communication efforts: we should take greater advantage of social networking tools (and this means much more than blogging) when bringing our policy conversations outside of the walls of HHS. 

For the past few months, ONC has been reviewing the government’s role in empowering consumers to better manage their health through information technology (IT). As we work toward a future of widespread electronic health record adoption and meaningful use, and as we continue to see rapid technology advancements in this industry, there is opportunity for consumers to take fuller advantage of the benefits of health IT.