The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has launched HealthIT.gov, a new site aimed at helping ONC and its partners provide information on health information technology and electronic health records to a wide audience. The new site has sections for health care providers and professionals and another for patients.
ONC’s existing site will remain at healthit.hhs.gov and will be more policy and program focused, while HealthIT.gov will serve professionals and patients.
Peter Garrett of the ONC Office of Communications wrote on the agency’s blog:
Health is personal. It’s personal for the parent who has a child with asthma. It’s personal for the patient with a new cancer diagnosis. And it’s personal for the doctor who is responsible for caring for them.
HealthIT.gov isn’t focused on government policy or numbers. It’s about patients and the people who care for them. It’s about helping them get the information they need, connecting them to resources that empower them to make changes, and improving the nation’s health—one person at a time.
The website is designed to invite active participation and make complex subjects relatable. It lets personal stories fuel the national movement toward adoption of EHRs. It puts the “I” in Health IT.
Whether you are a parent who is wondering what steps are in place to protect the privacy of her family’s health information, or a physician who is daunted by the idea of transitioning to an EHR, HealthIT.gov has the resources to help answer your questions.
