Practice Economics
Dr. Karen DeSalvo, recently named acting assistant secretary for health and charged with helping to form and run the federal government’s Ebola response efforts, will remain involved in a federal health information technology efforts as well.
Officials clarified on Oct. 29 that Dr. DeSalvo will continue to have a leadership role at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). Specifically, she will continue to chair the Health IT Policy Committee, lead the development and finalization of the Interoperability Roadmap, and remain involved in policymaking related to physicians’ meaningful use of electronic health records.
Dr. Karen DeSalvo
Lisa Lewis, who was named the Acting National Coordinator, will handle the day-to-day running of the ONC during Dr. DeSalvo’s “deployment” to the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, according to a blog post clarifying Dr. DeSalvo’s new role.
The news was welcomed by the American Medical Association, which had raised concerns that Dr. DeSalvo’s departure would create a “leadership gap” at a time when the ONC was tackling a number of important issues, from meaningful use of EHRs to interoperability of the systems.
“The AMA hopes Dr. DeSalvo’s continued presence will further advance efforts to improve the regulatory framework for health information technology and patient care,” Dr. Steven J. Stack, the AMA’s president-elect, said in a statement.
mschneider@frontlinemedcom.com
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