The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is requesting public comment on its Federal Health Information Technology Strategic Plan: 2011-2015.  ONC updated the Plan (last published in 2008) to reflect the major changes to health IT policy contained in the HITECH Act and the Affordable Care Act.  The Plan, which reflects ONC’s strategy for realizing Congress’s and the Administration’s health IT agenda over the next five years, focuses on, among other things, new privacy and security protections for electronic health records. 

Specifically, Goal III of the Plan highlights efforts to update the government’s approach to privacy and data security issues related to health IT and to foster greater confidence and trust in electronic health records and health information exchange among providers and the public.  These efforts will include a major investment in education and outreach strategy to improve the public’s understanding of electronic health information, how this information can be used, and the privacy and security requirements under the HIPAA regulations.

ONC will accept comments on the Strategic Plan through April 22, 2011.