The Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) National Coordination Office (NCO) requests comments from the public regarding the draft Federal Health Information Technology Research and Development Strategic Framework.
This R&D Framework lays out a clear, comprehensive, structured description of the current state of a field of research, organized and explained in a way that facilitates understanding of the field by all stakeholders, and that supports R&D coordination and cooperation by participating Federal agencies.
The goals of the strategy are to:
- Understand motivators and challenges in health IT R&D;
- Accelerate health IT innovation and infrastructure development;
- Facilitate cross-sector collaboration and bridge existing silos;
- Boost innovation and promote U.S. global leadership; and
- Focus on people-centered solutions that support safety and effectiveness and enhance economic competitiveness.
A key objective of the plan is to identify priorities for federally funded research and development (R&D) as well as capacity-building to help transform health IT R&D and improve health. Strategic priorities of the plan are to:
- Accelerate fundamental R&D for health IT;
- Facilitate accurate, secure and resilient health IT infrastructure, systems, and services;
- Foster health IT R&D innovation through data and knowledge sharing, best practices, and collaboration; and
- Enable evaluation of progress and long-term growth of health IT.
The plan envisions Federal agencies working together and engaging with academia, industry, civil society, and other key stakeholders. The aim is to accelerate the development and implementation of new discoveries and innovations that in turn enable health IT R&D to improve health outcomes.
Key questions to be considered include:
- Are the central motivations appropriate and/or are there other issues that should be considered?
- Are the strategic needs appropriate and/or are there other priorities that should be considered?
- Are the collaboration opportunities identified in the draft framework appropriate and/or are there others that should be considered?