ONC Poised to Shift Focus After Deep Budget Cuts

Under President Donald Trump’s proposed budget plan, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) would receive only $38 million in funding—$22 million less than the office received in 2016 and 2017. 

Donald Rucker, MD, National Coordinator for Health IT, and First Report Managed Care Editorial Advisory Board member, recently released a report outlining how the office would shift its focus in light of the reduced funding.

“This budget focuses on two key priorities: interoperability of health information, and burden reduction through increased usability of electronic health records (EHRs),” Dr Rucker said. “The movement of health information is central to the core mission of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans.”

He wrote that the new budget prioritizes work that focuses on policy coordination and standards, engaging stakeholders, and policy development aimed at improving EHRs. 

In his report, Dr Rucker noted that previous budgets have focused on incentivizing EHR uptake, which achieved significant gains in EHR participation. He cited data that showed EHR adoption is at 58% among office-base physicians, up from 17% in 2008—and EHR use is at 84% among nonfederal acute care hospitals compared with 9% in 2008. 

Dr Rucker added that this shift in focus is not only the result of the 2018 budget, but also due to the 21st Century Cures Act.

“The focus of ONC on interoperability and increasing the ease of use in fiscal year 2018 are priorities not just in our Budget request but also legislatively mandated priorities in the 21st Century Cures Ac,” he said. “The Cures Act directs ONC to implement activities that advance interoperability through continued work combating information blocking and building health IT exchange. “

His report stressed that EHR portability is an essential element of making it easier for patients in high-deductible plans to shop for competitively priced health care services. With this in mind, he said the office will work to reduce the administrative and regulatory burdens associated with EHRs. 

“ONC’s fiscal year 2018 Congressional Justification ensures a lean and accountable ONC which promotes public and private sector efforts to foster culture change with the flow of health information, including combating information blocking and promoting common standards, as well as r
educing the burdens with EHR use,” Dr Rucker concluded in his budget report. “Taken together, this work is crucial to achieve the promise and power of health IT that serves the needs of the American people and the mission of HHS.”
—David Costill