Valerie Grey, who works closely with Hixny as Executive Director of the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC), has been named to a prestigious new national panel on the future of health information technology.
Grey was named to the Health Information Technology Advisory Council (HITAC) by U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer. The 30-member panel was created under the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 to make policy recommendations to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT on the implementation of healthcare infrastructure. Specific goals include improving interoperability, assuring the best use of technology and data, and easing the adoption and use of health IT by patients, providers, payers, and other healthcare professionals.
As Executive Director of NYeC, Grey has been a driving force behind the creation and operation of the Statewide Health Information Exchange for New York (SHIN-NY), working with the State Health Department as well as Hixny and other regional health information organizations (RHIOs) to ensure the secure flow of patient data statewide.
In announcing the appointment, Senator Schumer said that “numerous fellow healthcare leaders from across the state and continuum recommended Ms. Grey for her expertise in healthcare policy and insight into the complexities facing all stakeholders involved in health information exchange and its critical role in improving patient care and outcomes.” Among those leaders was Hixny CEO Mark McKinney.
“I am honored to serve on this committee and look forward to working to move our healthcare system forward through innovations and technologies that advance electronic access, exchange, and use of health information, resulting in healthier patients and communities,” Grey said. “From reducing medical errors, to the better management of chronic disease and supporting public health and protecting vulnerable populations, HIT will continue to grow in importance and influence in the healthcare environment. The advisory committee will help shape the next phase of health information exchange in our country, while ensuring the interests of patients and the public remain at the center.”
HITAC held its first meeting Jan. 18, and will make its initial policy recommendation by mid-February. The committee will advice the ONC on a variety of policies, including patient care coordination, population health initiatives, telemedicine, data reporting, and security provisions.
