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On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services named Robert Kolodner as the permanent leader of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.  Kolodner has served in the post as the interim coordinator since September 20, 2006.  In this capacity, Kolodner will advise Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, about health information technology projects and related issues and will lead the effort for the implementation of interoperable health information technology by medical providers.

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On Friday, Michael Leavitt, the Secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, outlined a plan for "personalized health care," which is defined in the press release as "gene-based medical care combined with health information technology."  Speaking of this new initiative, Leavitt stated, "Personalized health care will combine the basic scientific breakthroughs of the human genome with computer-age ability to exchange and manage data . . . . Increasingly, it will give us the ability to deliver the right treatment to the right patient at the right time--every time."  While Leavitt advocates for advances to this program, privacy rights activists would likely prefer that the phrases "gene-based medical care" and "health information technology" not be used in combination.

Leavitt's announcement also outlined several steps that must be taken to reap the benefits of this powerful combination, including the following:

• reviewing the implications on privacy protection and the "anticipated effect on the confidentiality, privacy and security of individually identifiable health information";
• taking steps to ensure that genetic tests are accurate and reliable;
• developing "consistent policies for [HHS] agencies regarding access to and security of federally supported research"; and
• receiving recommendations from the American Health Information Community for health information technology standards applicable to genetic testing information.

Leavitt called the development of a personalized health care system one of his priorities for the next two years. 

Additional Resources:

United States Department of Health and Human Services Personalized Health Care Page

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Modern Healthcare just announced the following: "Officials are expected to announce that Robert Kolodner, chief health informatics officer at the Veterans Health Administration, has been named HHS' acting national coordinator for health information technology, sources said. Kolodner would replace David Brailer, the first occupant of the post, who resigned in May."

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On Tuesday, President Bush signed an executive order entitled "Promoting Quality and Efficient Health Care in Federal Government Administered or Sponsored Health Care Programs." The Bush administration reports that this executive order aims to provide consumers with increased access to information about their doctors, hospitals and the prices of their procedures. The executive order requires federal agencies that administer health care programs to publish the costs paid for treatment, implement pay-for-performance reimbursement models and develop quality measurements. The executive order also requires federal agencies to use interoperable health information technology systems to facilitate the exchange of health information.

To view the executive order, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/08/20060822-2.html.

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On August 1, 2006, Michael Leavitt, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, announced new exceptions to the Stark Law ("Stark") and new safe harbors to the Anti-Kickback Statute ("AKS") designed to encourage physicians to implement electronic prescribing and interoperable health records systems. Ordinarily, the provision of such technology may trigger Stark and AKS investigations, fines and potential criminal liability. Under the new e-prescribing technology rules, if applicable criteria are met, certain entities such as hospitals and group practices may donate items and services, including hardware, software internet connectivity training and support, to qualifying physicians. The new interoperable health record systems rules are similar to the e-prescribing rules, except that an entity may not donate hardware, and physicians must pay 15% of the donor's costs. The new HIT rules expire December 31, 2013.

Proponents have argued that these rules will contribute to the reduction in the total number of errors made and will improve efficiency and overall patient care. Critics have emphasized that e-prescribing and e-health records may jeopardize patient privacy.

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