As the nation shifts to electronic health records, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is looking to update the Federal Health IT strategic plan. To solicit public input, HHS’s Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is partnering with the Cornell eRulemaking Initiative (CeRI).

The strategic plan outlines goals and strategies for the nationwide shift to electronic health records and for the spread of new health information technologies for consumers and healthcare providers.

The current topic for public comment is “Empower Individuals Through Health IT to Improve Health and Health Care.” This discussion will be open until May 9 on PlanningRoom.org, an online public commenting website that allows people to learn about and discuss how new information technologies – from electronic health record systems to mobile phone apps – can help consumers and providers improve health, health care and the health care system.

“Whether you’re a health care consumer, provider, insurer, researcher or IT developer, you should have a voice in this process of updating the federal government’s health IT plan,” said Cynthia R. Farina, the McRoberts Professor of Research in the Administration of the Law at Cornell Law School and a principal researcher in CeRI. Farina notes that the CeRI team would like to see Cornell University health policy and health IT researchers participate in this discussion, as well. 

“Open dialogue with the public improves federal government policymaking and planning,” said Farzad Mostashari, M.D., national coordinator for health information technology. “By using Planning Room we will be able to hear directly from those people who are interested and involved in ONC activities to inform our future direction.”

The CeRI researchers hope that rural health care providers and health care professionals in smaller practices and care facilities will engage in this dialogue, as these stakeholders don't often participate in federal public-comment periods.

“Planning Room is designed to make it easier for individual patients, families and caregivers to understand what these decisions about health information technology could mean for them – and to have a meaningful part in a national conversation that will help shape federal policy,” added Farina.

Kathleen Corcoran handles media relations for the Law School.