The purchase of an EMR/EHR system is a large investment for a podiatric practice. APMA has provided the Electronic Medical Record Decision Guide For Podiatric Physicians to help you make the best choice for your practice.

The Office of the National Coordinator

The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology (HIT) is at the forefront of the administration’s health IT efforts and is a resource for the entire health-care system to support the adoption of health information technology and the promotion of nationwide health information exchange to improve health care. ONC is organizationally located within the Office of the Secretary for the US Department of Health and Human Services.

ONC is the principal federal entity charged with coordination of nationwide efforts to implement and use the most advanced health information technology and the electronic exchange of health information. The position of National Coordinator was created in 2004 through an Executive Order and legislatively mandated in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) of 2009.

ONC sets the standards for EHR programs that vendors must meet in order for their products to be utilized by eligible providers to meet the requirements for meaningful use of an EHR.

ONC's fight against fees, data blocking

It's hard for the government to control private business practices, like fees for upgrades of already expensive EHR software. But ONC took a step to help doctors and hospitals help themselves prevent being handcuffed by health IT vendor practices. The answer: Contracts. HHS's health IT office published a guide to contracting that addresses controlling data, fostering interoperability, and a host of other issues that at least some feel have hamstrung health IT from advancing.

Health IT Playbook

ONC also debuted a web-based guide to help doctors and hospitals with EHR selection, implementation and design, security, patient engagement, and numerous other issues. In a world in which doctors raced to buy and start using EHRs, the playbook can help address questions on health IT.

Additional Resources

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Center for Health Information Technology: AAFP is dedicated to increasing the availability and use of low-cost, standards-based information technology among family physicians, nationally, and internationally, through consultative, educational, and outreach activities.