Often functioning behind the scenes, standards play an enormous role in our daily lives. Nearly every aspect of our modern world is shaped by standards, including our homes (building codes, electrical outlets), cars (safety requirements, fuel efficiency), and the food we eat (nutrition labels). Standards in healthcare impact medical education, clinical practice, quality of care, and patient safety. Likewise, modern health information technology (IT) systems, like electronic health records (EHRs), rely on data standards to record and exchange health information.

This blog was co-authored with Lisa Molyneux, the HHS Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources (acting).
In summer 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a plan for a department-wide management policy to advance interoperability through departmental activities. Secretary Xavier Becerra called on the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (hereafter referred to as ASTP), working in collaboration with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources (ASFR),

In April, ONC commemorated its 20th birthday. Milestones like this offer the opportunity to take a break from our busy schedules to pause and reflect. I have been privileged to play a part in ONC’s journey throughout these past two decades, and I would like to share some of my reflections. But first, I would like to share some exciting news.