NASCIO Health IT Working Group

COMMITTEES | Health IT Working Group

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About the Working Group

The Health Information Technology Working Group will continue to examine the ways in which health IT initiatives, particularly state-driven health IT efforts, are developing and evolving. This group will continue keep a close watch on emerging state and national trends that state CIOs need to be aware of, including changing polices, standards, implementation strategies, and privacy and security implications. This working group will seek to advance the role of the state CIO in Health IT conversations in regards to policy, governance body and standard setting. Additionally, the group will maintain relationships with health information technology organizations such as the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and the National Governors Association's State Alliance for e-Health.

Committee Roster

Committee Publications

Publications Archive

HITECH in the States:Action List for State CIOs
August 2009
In recent years, health information technology has grown from a burgeoning trend to a top policy priority for NASCIO as state CIOs from across the nation have become increasingly involved in health IT initiatives in their states. With billions of dollars now allocated to flow into health IT and health information exchange (HIE) initiatives around the country under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), this trend is only poised to accelerate. HITECH in the States: Action List for State CIOs examines the impact on states—and the implications for state CIOs—of the HITECH Act (ARRA’s health IT requirements) and outlines four broad areas in which state CIOs can have an immediate, and long-term, impact in regards to HIE: Planning, Governance, Financing/Sustainability and Policy. Additionally, this brief highlights the questions that state CIOs should be asking as they work to begin exploring their role within these HIE efforts and also features the affect of the HITECH Act on the Medicaid IT Architecture (MITA) initiative.

Profiles of Progress 3: State Health IT Initiatives
April 2009
The passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which allocated billions of dollars to flow into health IT initiatives across the country, has ushered forth a new era for health IT. This is an unprecedented moment for healthcare stakeholders and government, at all levels, to invest significant resources toward health IT and health information exchange initiatives. This compendium, “Profiles of Progress 3: State Health IT Initiatives,” is a product of NASCIO’s Health IT Working Group. It provides a state-by-state “snapshot” of progress that each state has made toward developing and implementing health information exchange and other health IT initiatives. It specifically examines the role of the state CIO in these efforts, and also includes an overview of the implications for health IT since the passage of the ARRA.

The MITA Touch: State CIOs and Medicaid IT Transformation
August 2008
Medicaid transformation, and incorporating information technology into these efforts, is among the fastest-growing trends in healthcare today. With the introduction of the federal Medicaid IT Architecture (MITA) initiative, states are beginning to assess their current Medicaid systems and explore how the MITA initiative can foster information exchange and improve healthcare quality outcomes. This brief, a product of NASCIO’s Health IT Working Group, examines the ways in which state CIOs can play a role in the MITA effort, and how their enterprise view contributes to the holistic vision that MITA promotes across state agencies and all levels of government.

Profiles of Progress II: State Health IT Initiatives
September 2007
State governments are increasingly utilizing health information technology initiatives in order to reduce healthcare cost and improve patient care. A product of NASCIO’s Health IT Working Group, this compendium provides a state-by-state “snapshot” of progress that each state has made in introducing health information technology (HIT) initiatives. Each individual state profile features ways in which states are working toward HIT development and implementation. An updated version of NASCIO’s 2006 document, this compendium highlights the rapid growth of state health IT initiatives and specifically examines the role of the state CIO in these efforts.

On the Road to RHIO: What State CIOs Need to Know
July 2007
A product of NASCIO’s Health IT Working Group, this brief examines the ways in which state CIOs can be involved in RHIO efforts in their states and emphasizes the importance for state CIOs to be aware of developments in health information exchange. It also explores the opportunities and challenges that all RHIOs face, despite the unique characteristics they each hold, and features real-world examples of how state CIOs are already involved in their state’s RHIO efforts.

Profiles of Progress: State Health IT Initiatives
November 2006
A product of NASCIO’s Health IT Committee, this compendium provides a state-by-state “snapshot” of progress that each state has made in the health information technology (HIT) implementation process. Each individual state profile highlights the steps that states are taking in regards to HIT issues, from Executive Orders and legislative-driven initiatives to public/private or public/non-profit partnerships. Most importantly, the compendium examines the roles and responsibilities the state CIO has in these efforts.

The (IT) Doctor is In: The Role of the State CIO in Health IT
February 2006
The brief is intended to help state CIOs—along with other stakeholders and policymakers—determine the appropriate role of the state CIO in guiding their states’ enterprise IT in keeping with the larger national effort to save lives and money in healthcare.