What's Happening in Health IT

In This Issue

Final Week to Comment on 2016 Draft Interoperability Standards Advisory

Don’t miss your chance to help ONC improve and finalize the 2016 Interoperability Standards Advisory. The 2016 Advisory will represent the best available standards and implementation specifications to support health IT interoperability needs. Submit your comments by 5pm ET on Friday November 6th to ensure your voice is heard!

Certification Companion Guides Now Available

Check out the 2015 Edition Certification Companion Guides and test procedures. Test procedures are open for a 30 day public comment period from their publication date.

Rural Health IT Funding Workshops in Kentucky and Tennessee

Just a reminder for any of you rural #HealthIT professionals in Kentucky and Tennessee! Rural health IT funding workshops are scheduled for November 12 (Clarksville, Tenn.) and November 13 (Hazard, Ky.). The Clarksville workshop will be held at the Austin Peay State University, University Center Ballroom. The Hazard workshop will kick off at the Hazard Community and Technical College, in the Devert Owens Building’s Multi-Purpose room. Meet with local stakeholders and representatives from the Federal government and learn about numerous health information technology funding opportunities. Find directions and more details about both FREE workshops and sign up now for the Clarksville event or the Hazard event!

Fireside Chat ad Townhall Meeting With ONC at HIMSS Connected Health Conference

ONC leaders will be speaking about the Interoperability Roadmap and 2015 Edition Final Rule during the mHealth Summit at the HIMSS Connected Health Conference. The conference is an all-inclusive opportunity for learning, sharing and engaging how technology is enabling the positive transformation of this critical area of health and healthcare. Follow along on Twitter using #ONCFireside from 11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on Monday, November 9. The Townhall Meeting will be a deep dive session on the Roadmap and the Rules. It will be held from 12:45 p.m. - 2:15 p.m., following the Fireside Chat.

Speakers will include:

Lucia Savage, J.D., Chief Privacy Officer
Steve Posnack, Director, Office of Standards and Technology
Elise Sweeney Anthony, J.D., Acting Director, Office of Policy
Lana Moriarty, Director, Office of Consumer eHealth

Come Work With Us

We’re seeking a Chief Scientist at ONC to help with research methodologies, grant program policies, and more! Open until November 10. Apply now!

Health Literacy Online: A Guide for Simplifying the User Experience

This week, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, HHS, released the second edition of Health Literacy Online: A Guide for Simplifying the User Experience. Health Literacy Online includes dozens of practical recommendations for developing user-friendly, responsively designed health websites. Informed by the U.S. Digital Services Playbook, the guide involved over 800 end-users in developing evidence-based guidelines for creating simple, intuitive health websites for all users, including over half of Americans with limited literacy and health literacy skills. You can read about the “Five Top Design Tips” from Health Literacy Online at ODPHP’s Prevention Policy Matters Blog.

Federal Advisory Committee Schedule Week of November 2 (all times EDT)

Monday
3:30 p.m.: The Health IT Policy Committee’s (#HITPC) barriers to interoperability task force meets. Follow along here: http://bit.ly/1S9PvE6

Tuesday
10:00 a.m.: The Health IT Standards Committee (#HITSC) convenes a virtual meeting. Find the agenda here: http://bit.ly/1GxtVIz

Wednesday
11:00 a.m.: The #HITSC Transitional Vocabulary Task Force meets. Follow along here: http://bit.ly/1Gxu6nh

Thursday
11:00 a.m.: The #HITPC Advanced Health Models and MU Workgroup meets. Follow along: http://bit.ly/1S9PY9d