The U.S. Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) has created a new workgroup whose responsibilities will focus on improving patient safety and promoting innovation in health information technology, including mobile medical applications.
The workgroup will be chaired by Dr. David W. Bates, senior vice president for quality and safety and chief quality officer of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Twenty-eight individuals representing health information technology vendors, healthcare providers, attorneys, venture capital firms, healthcare payors, and consumers have been appointed.
In addition, one representative each from the ONC, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will participate as nonvoting workgroup members. They will provide subject-matter expertise regarding the authority and current policies of the agencies they represent.
The new workgroup will hold its first meeting on April 29, 2013.
