ONC announces new chief health information officer

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced that Michael James McCoy, MD, will become the first Chief Health Information Officer.

In a written statement from Karen DeSalvo, the national coordinator for ONC, the new position will “lead development of ONC clinical policy for standards and regulatory matters to help ensure initiatives improve health beyond health care.”

The creation of the new Chief Health Information Officer position is a continuation of the shift toward electronic health-record systems (EHR) and EHR functionality. Federal IT policymakers are now focusing on building EHR interoperability for providers and payers.

As part of this move toward connection, the ONC recently unveiled its

for the years 2015 to 2020.

“McCoy is a board-certified OB/GYN with more than a decade in health information technology,” DeSalvo said in a news release. “He has a focus on interoperability, user experience, and person-centered care.”

As part of the new position, McCoy will also be the “lead clinical subject matter expert” for interoperability. McCoy’s has a background in “health IT leadership in small offices, national health delivery systems, IT development and standards development organization.”

McCoy served on the international board of directors of Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise, a non-profit focused on health information interoperability. He was also the health information technology strategist for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, was co-chair of the Women’s Health Work Group for the Certification Commission or Health Information Technology, and was on the Child Health Expert Panel and the Ambulatory Work Group.

McCoy graduated magna cum laude from Georgia State University and received his medical degree. from the Medical College of Georgia.