The American Health Information Community (AHIC), a 2005 federally-chartered commission made up of leaders from public and private health sectors, was formed to provide recommendations on how to make health records digital and interoperable, and assure that the privacy and security of those records are protected, in a smooth, market-led way. At the same time, the Department of Health and Human Services, through the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) awarded contracts to 1) identify interoperability standards to facilitate the exchange of patient data (HITSP), 2) define a process for certifying that health IT products comply with appropriate standards (CCHIT), and 3) develop a series of prototypes to establish the requirements of a nationwide health information network (NHIN). These activities share the goal of widespread adoption of interoperable electronic health records within 10 years through public-private collaboration. ANSI in cooperation with strategic partners HIMSS, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Advanced Technology Institute was awarded this contract to advance this goal. This standards harmonization collaborative established the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP).
The Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) is a multi-stakeholder coordinating body designed to provide the process within which affected parties can identify, select, and harmonize standards for communicating healthcare information throughout the healthcare spectrum. HITSP functions as a partnership of the public and private sectors and operates with a neutral and inclusive governance model administered by the American National Standards Institute.
The American Health Information Community (AHIC), as the representative of public and private health sector stakeholders, identified the Use Cases (available at hitsp.org) that drove the initial efforts of the HITSP. Nationwide public and private health sector priorities continue to focus the efforts of the HITSP. The use case driven HITSP harmonization process is implemented by formally chartered Technical Committees. The volunteers that comprise a Technical Committee follow an 8 step process, depicted below.
ANSI in cooperation with strategic partners HIMSS, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Advanced Technology Institute was awarded this contract to advance this goal. This standards harmonization collaborative established the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP).
HHS Secretary Leavitt's Acceptance of HITSP Interoperability Standards Paves the Way for Progress and Opportunities for the Industry
The acceptance of the Healthcare Information Technology and Standards Panel’s (HITSP) Interoperability Specifications for Electronic Health Records, Biosurveillance and Consumer Empowerment by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Michael Leavitt on January 23rd paves the way for enormous progress and opportunities for the industry.
Standards Panel Delivers Interoperability Specifications to Support Nationwide Health Information Network
Implementation testing to begin on biosurveillance, electronic health records, and consumer empowerment
Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise Expands Strategy on Interoperability & Standards Implementation
Striving to better pave the road to EHR implementation, 42 companies representing 107 health information technology systems met on Oct. 19-20 in Schiller Park, Ill., a suburb of Chicago.