On November 15, 2001, the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics issued the following challenge:
We as a Nation have a timely opportunity and an urgent need to build a 21st-century health support system - a comprehensive, knowledge-based system capable of providing information to all who need it to make sound decisions about health. Such a system can help realize the public interest related to disease prevention, health promotion, and population health.
Conscious that a properly maintained and funded information infrastructure is key to meeting the healthcare industry's current and future needs, HIMSS announced the launch of the NHII Task Force - the first of its kind - on October 16, 2002.