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Welcome to the OHA’s Health Information Technology (IT) eNewsletter! Here you will find updates on health IT in Oregon and at the federal level. For a deeper dive into health IT in Oregon, check out the Policy and Program Updates. If there are specific items you would like to see in this newsletter, please send ideas to HITOC.INFO@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
April Meeting
HITOC’s next meeting is April 3 from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. and will be virtual. Members will learn about and discuss health IT use in behavioral health in preparation for their upcoming June 5 retreat, review highlights from their discussion of AI use in health IT from the February meeting, and receive updates on the 2025 Oregon state legislative session.
As always, a public comment period will be available: refer to the meeting agenda for times or email HITOC.INFO@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
Flyer: CIE Opportunity for Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) Service Providers and Community Partners
If you are an HRSN service provider or community partner interested in learning more about participating in community information exchange (CIE), take a look at this CIE Opportunity for HRSN Service Providers and Community Partners flyer. It describes what CIE technology can do to help with HRSN services and more, like searching for available resources, making closed loop referrals, consent, and screenings and assessments. There’s also information on how to connect to a CIE system. Please help spread the word!
Monitoring Federal Changes and Impacts on Oregon
OHA has launched a webpage that lists some of the latest information about federal policy changes and their potential impacts on Oregon. Visit the webpage to learn more.
Applications Open for 2025 LEAP in Health IT
The Leading Edge Acceleration Projects (LEAP) in Health IT program issued a Special Emphasis Notice (SEN) for 2025. The Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy will fund two areas of emphasis: 1) Demonstrating the readiness of FHIR®-based subscriptions for improving interactivity with third-party apps, and 2) Identifying and testing innovative approaches that would inform future changes to the TEFCA™ infrastructure to increase adoption of Individual Access Service (IAS).
The deadline has been extended, and applications are accepted until 12:00 ET on April 25, 2025. View the SEN for more information.
Public Feedback: Draft USCDI v6
The United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) is a standardized set of health data classes and fundamental data elements for nationwide, interoperable health information exchange. The Draft USCDI Version 6 is now available for review and public comment via the USCDI webpage. It proposes to add six data elements intended to advance health data in a way that will benefit users of health IT. The comment period is open through April 14 at 11:59 PM ET. More information on its development can be found in this Standards Bulletin.
Health Care Affordability Committee and Industry Advisory Committee
To help develop policies that lower costs and improve affordability, the Oregon Health Policy Board (OHPB) is launching two committees they established in 2025:
- Committee on Health Care Affordability
- Industry Advisory Committee on Health Care Affordability
These committees will formulate solutions with help from patients, families, and communities. You will have the opportunity to work alongside policymakers and industry leaders to recommend effective, sustainable strategies to make health care more affordable.
OHPB is asking individuals with a passion for ensuring affordable health care to apply for the Committee on Health Care Affordability. Learn more and apply: Affordability Committee web page.
OHPB is asking professionals with experience working in the health care industry to apply for the Industry Advisory Committee on Health Care Affordability. Learn more and apply: Industry Advisory Committee web page.
If you or someone in your network would be a great fit, apply today! Applications are due April 11, 2025.
OHA Health IT Meetings/Events
Want to weigh in on OHA’s Health IT work? How to make public comment:
OHA’s Health IT committee and workgroup meetings (i.e., HITOC, HITAG) are open to the public, and public comment is always welcome at the meeting during the specified time or in writing at any time. Public comment is an important part of OHA’s committee work and is an opportunity for members of the public to provide input and feedback to the Committee or Workgroup.
Meetings
Typically, the public comment period is held at the end of each meeting. There may occasionally be more than one comment period. Members of the public are asked to comment or post in the chat only during this period, and to keep verbal comments to about 2 minutes. The public comment period is held solely for the public to share their thoughts with the Committee or Workgroup. Committee members are unlikely to ask questions or respond to public comment directly but consider public comments during committee work. If you know before the meeting that you’d like to provide public comment, you can email HITOC.INFO@odhsoha.oregon.gov to sign up. If you’d like to provide public comment during the meeting, you can message one of the hosts to sign-up. If you are unable to message, please speak up during the open public comment period.
Written Comment
You can also send written public comment to HITOC.INFO@odhsoha.oregon.gov at any time. To be included in the materials a meeting please submit the comment no less than 2 business days before the intended meeting. Please specify which group it is for – HITOC or HITAG. Written comment is emailed out and posted as part of meeting materials.
Have questions about public comment? We want to hear from you! Please email HITOC.INFO@odhsoha.oregon.gov
Everyone has a right to know about and use Oregon Health Authority (OHA) programs and services. OHA provides free help. Some examples of the free help OHA can provide are:
- CART (live captions)
- Sign language and spoken language interpreters
- Written materials in other languages
- Braille
- Large print
- Audio and other formats
If you need help or have questions, please email HITOC.INFO@odhsoha.oregon.gov or contact (503) 373-7859 at least 48 hours before the meeting. OHA will make every effort to provide services for requests made closer to the meeting.
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