HHS Making Progress on Department-wide Alignment of Health IT Investments

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), to establish and oversee a consistent HHS-wide approach to ensure that health IT requirements in grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and policy and regulatory actions align with HHS-adopted data standards. This approach is formally known as the HHS Health IT Alignment Policy.

By aligning on standards that enable interoperability, HHS is ensuring that federal investments do not contribute to the proliferation of proprietary modes of exchange and data silos that inhibit access, exchange, and use of data. Promoting interoperability through HHS investments can lead to more connected care for patients, as well as more seamless data exchange across other facets of the health care landscape, such as public health and research activities.

ASFR Taking the Next Step in Health IT Alignment

Since announcing the HHS Health IT Alignment Policy two years ago, ASTP and ASFR have worked collaboratively to develop standard language for the HHS Health IT Alignment Policy for use in grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and policy and regulatory actions. On August 9, 2024, the HHS Acquisition Regulation (HHSAR): Acquisition of Information Technology; Standards for Health Information Technology proposed rule published in the Federal Register for public comment. With this proposed rule, HHS is taking another important step toward implementing the HHS Health IT Alignment Policy.

The proposed rule amends and updates the HHSAR to implement requirements to procure health IT that meets standards and implementation specifications adopted by ASTP on behalf of HHS. The proposed rule sets out requirements for all HHS contracts that involve health IT activities to use HHS-adopted health IT standards to promote interoperability across the health system. The proposed rule is available for public comment until October 8, 2024.

Alignment Activities Underway

Under Health IT Alignment Policy to date, ASTP and HHS partners have identified billions of dollars that impact health IT across HHS programs and activities. ASTP has supported HHS agencies with their programmatic goals by aligning health IT requirements across these investments. Additionally, ASTP has provided technical assistance and subject matter expertise to HHS agencies to support the required use of HHS-adopted health IT standards for their specific health IT-related activities. Part of this technical assistance involves ensuring consistent implementation of contract requirements and grant guidance for the HHS Health IT Alignment Policy.

For example, ASTP worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to draft public health IT guidance for grants and cooperative agreements, which includes references to the current health IT certification criteria for public health activities as well as HHS-adopted health IT standards that support public health programs. ASTP also worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to incorporate language supporting HHS Health IT Alignment Policy into new initiatives, including an innovation model focused on maternal health.

Continued implementation of the HHS Health IT Alignment Policy is a critical pathway to achieving the federal health IT vision of a health system that uses information to engage individuals, lower costs, deliver high-quality care, and improve individual and population health. As a result of collaboration across the department and new milestones like ASFR's proposed rule, the HHS Health IT Alignment Policy is making an immediate impact on the alignment of health IT investments to advance the department's goals to improve health and health care for all Americans.

To view and comment on the proposed changes to the HHSAR, please visit the Federal Register. ASFR is requesting public comment by October 8, 2024.