“The only way for health IT to achieve its full potential, is when it unobstrusively supports individuals as they strive to reach their full potential for health.”

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has finalized the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan for the next five years (2015-2020) and explains how the federal government intends to apply the effective use of information and technology to help the nation achieve its health care goals. The plan focuses on how to advance health information technology innovation and its use.

In an aim to modernize the U.S. health IT infrastructure, the expectation is for individuals, providers, and communities to use HIT to help achieve their health and wellness goals, while maintaining the individual person as the hub of the process.

There are four main areas of focus to the plan:

  • High-quality care
  • Lower costs
  • Healthy Population
  • Engaged People

  • The strategic goals to be achieved:

    1. Advance Person-Centered and Self-Managed Health
    2. Transform Health Care Delivery and Community Health
    3. Foster Research, Scientific Knowledge, and Innovation
    4. Enhance Nation’s Health IT Infrastructure

    Overarching is that the “person” is to be at the center. This is indeed a shift from prior strategies when the goal was simply to make sure information was available. Now, the recommendation is to have a broader view of the health care delivery system as well as stressing scientific advancements and improvements in public health.

    The structure of the plan enhances the importance of patient engagement and the impact health has on the family and the community.

    Adoption of health care IT, while no longer the top of the initiatives, remains ingrained in every aspect of the plan. Viewing health care with a patient-centered focus, there are urges to collaborate efforts to achieve value, respect individual preferences, create an environment of learning and improvement and encourage innovation.

    Overall, this is a positive step in moving the world of health care technology from one of raw data availability to a system that actively supports health, wellness and people.

    Source: ONC Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015 – 2020