The Department of Health and Human Services has announced the appointment of three members to the Health Information Technology (HIT) Policy Committee as well as members of the HIT Standards Committee. The two new federal advisory committees were established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The first meeting of the Health IT Policy Committee is today in Washington, D.C.

"The Policy and Standards Committees bring together a wide diversity of key stakeholders to help guide the advancement of health IT as an integral part of health reform," stated Dr. David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at HHS and Chairman of the Policy Committee. "It is an honor to lead one of these committees, and I am confident that these committees will provide valuable insight to help develop important health IT policy in the next few years."

The HIT Policy Committee will make recommendations to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology on a policy framework for the development and adoption of a nationwide interoperable health information infrastructure, including standards for the secure and private exchange of patient medical information.
The HHS appointees to the Policy Committee are:

David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P.
National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Michael J. Klag, M.D., M.P.H.
Dean, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Deven C. McGraw, J.D., M.P.H., Director
Health Privacy Project, Center for Democracy & Technology

An additional 13 members were appointed by the Acting Comptroller General of the United States, and four members appointed by the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate and the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. A complete list of the Policy Committee members and information about the May 11th meeting can be found at http://healthit.hhs.gov . The Presidential appointments from relevant federal agencies are expected to be announced prior to the HIT Policy Committee's second meeting in June.

In addition, appointments were made to the HIT Standards Committee, also a federal advisory body, which is charged with making recommendations to the National Coordinator on standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria for the electronic exchange and use of health information. The first meeting of this committee is scheduled for Friday, May 15, 2009.

Members appointed by HHS are:

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