Letter to Labor-HHS Subcommittee in Support of Funding for the Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT)

Dear Senate/House Labor HHS Subcommittee Member:

I am writing on behalf of the 93,700 members of the American Academy of Family Physicians in support of full funding for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT). The House Labor-HHS appropriations bill (H.R. 5006) included $25 million for ONCHIT, half of the funding requested by the White House. The Senate Labor-HHS appropriations bill (S. 2810) did not fund ONCHIT.

The Academy supports the vision of widespread use of electronic health records transforming the practice of medicine within the next ten years. In order to achieve this vision, David Brailer, M.D., the National Health Information Technology Coordinator, has released a ten-year strategic framework to develop interoperability standards to promote the use of health information technology. This strategic framework is built on four goals:

These goals are consistent with the goals of the AAFP. Our Center for Health Information Technology has several ongoing projects aimed at enhancing the affordability and interoperability of health information technology in physician practices. Dr. Brailer also has proposed an action plan for both public and private sector activity aimed at enhancing the availability and usefulness of health information technology.

The AAFP has been pleased to work with Dr. David Brailer in promoting the effective use of health information technology. The clear intersection of priorities between ONCHIT and the AAFP’s Center for Health Information Technology has led to a close working relationship. This partnership aimed at encouraging the use of health information technology among physicians, patients, technology vendors, insurers, and the federal government holds great promise. The AAFP has been leading private-sector efforts around health information technology, and we believe Dr. Bailer's work will break down barriers to collaboration and promote action. Therefore, we would ask that Congress provide the ONCHIT with the full request of $50 million as contained in the President’s FY 2005 budget request.

Sincerely,


Michael O. Fleming, M.D., FAAFP

Board Chair