[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 96 (Thursday, May 17, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29349-29350]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-11910]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary


Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of 
Authority; Office of The National Coordinator for Health Information 
Technology

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information 
Technology has reorganized its office in order to more effectively meet 
the mission outlined by The Health Information Technology for Economic 
and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, part of the American Recovery and 
Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The reorganization includes one change 
and five functional realignments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sam Shellenberger, Office of the 
National Coordinator, Office of the Secretary, 200 Independence Ave. 
SW., Washington, DC 20201, 202-690-7151.
    Part A, Office of the Secretary, Statement of Organization, 
Functions and Delegations of Authority for the Department of Health and 
Human Services, Chapter AR, Office of the National Coordinator for 
Health Information Technology (ONC), as amended at 74 FR 62785-62786, 
dated December 1, 2009, as corrected at 75 FR 49494, dated August 13, 
2010, as amended at 76 FR 6795, dated February 8, 2011, and as last 
amended at 76 FR 65196, dated October 20, 2011, is amended as follows:
    I. Under Section AR.10 Organization, insert ``Office of the Chief 
Medical Officer (ARG)'' as item C as follows and renumber items C 
through G accordingly.
    II. Under Section AR. 10 Organization, delete ``E. Office of the 
Chief Scientist (ARC)'' and replace it with ``E. Office of Science and 
Technology (ARC).''
    III. Under Section AR.10 Organization, add a new line, ``I. Office 
of Communications (ARH).''
    IV. Under Section AR.20 Functions, insert the following new 
Paragraph C and renumber Paragraphs C through G accordingly:
    C. Office of the Chief Medical Officer (ARG): The Office of the 
Chief Medical Officer works with and reports directly to the National 
Coordinator and will be responsible for working with private sector 
medical organizations to achieve widespread use of health information 
technology by physicians.
    V. Under Section AR.20 Functions, Paragraph B, ``Office of the 
Principal Deputy (ARA1),'' at the end of the second sentence, remove 
``and, Office of the Chief Scientist'' and add the following new 
language to the end of the sentence, ``Office of Science and 
Technology, and Office of Communications.''
    VI. Under Section AR.20 Functions, Paragraph E, ``Office of the 
Chief Scientist (ARC)'':
    A. Replace all instances of ``Office of the Chief Scientist'' with 
``Office of Science and Technology.''
    B. Remove ``and'' before item (6) in the second sentence and add 
the following new language to the end of the sentence, ``; and (7) 
developing the mechanisms for establishing and implementing standards 
necessary for nationwide health information exchange.''
    VII. Under Section AR.20 Functions, Paragraph F, ``Office of the 
Deputy National Coordinator for Programs & Policy (ARD)'':
    A. Under the second sentence, remove ''(3) developing the 
mechanisms for establishing and implementing standards necessary for 
nationwide health information exchange;'' and renumber items (4) 
through (6) accordingly.
    B. Remove the ``and'' before ``(5)'' and add the following new 
language to the end of the second sentence: ``; (6) overseeing consumer 
use of electronic personal health information; and (7) leading 
activities for certification of health information technology.''
    VIII. Under Section AR.20 Functions, Paragraph G, ``Office of the 
Deputy National Coordinator for Operations (ARE),'' third sentence, 
remove ``(5) stakeholder communications;'' and renumber item (6) 
accordingly.
    IX. Under Section AR.20 Functions, insert new Paragraph I, as 
follows:
    I. Office of Communications (ARH): The Office of Communications is 
headed by a Director. The Office is responsible for: (1) Setting the 
strategic direction for ONC communications efforts; (2) guiding the 
development of a comprehensive stakeholder

[[Page 29350]]

communications and constituency relations plan; and, (3) ensuring that 
all communications activities are developed and implemented consistent 
with and in support of this plan. The Office's activities promote ONC's 
broader mission of the nationwide implementation of interoperable 
health information technology in both the public and private health 
care sectors. Such activities include identifying ways to increase 
awareness of the value of electronic health records (EHRs) to improve 
health care and to create awareness of the HITECH Act provisions among 
all stakeholders.
    X. Delegation of Authority. Pending further delegation, directives 
or orders by the Secretary or by the National Coordinator for Health 
Information Technology, all delegations and redelegations of authority 
made to officials and employees of affected organizational components 
will continue in them or their successors pending further 
redelegations, provided they are consistent with this reorganization.

    Dated: May 7, 2012.
E.J. Holland, Jr.,
Assistant Secretary for Administration.
[FR Doc. 2012-11910 Filed 5-16-12; 8:45 am]
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