ONC

A staff division of the Office of the Secretary within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) leads national health IT efforts. Established by President George W. Bush on April 27, 2004 through Executive Order 13335, ONC was later mandated by Congress in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The agency coordinates nationwide efforts to implement advanced health information technology and the electronic exchange of health information.

Key Initiatives

ONC develops standards, certifies electronic health record (EHR) systems, and coordinates policies that enable secure, efficient exchange of health information. Its key initiatives include certification programs for EHR vendors, the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement for data sharing, and interoperability standards like FHIR.

Patient Access and Privacy

ONC works to ensure patient access to digital health information and protect privacy through collaboration with other federal agencies. By leading these efforts, ONC drives the modernization of healthcare delivery, ensuring that technology improves care coordination, safety, and patient empowerment across the U.S. healthcare system.