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Friday, May 30

ONC Reorganizes as HITECH programs shut down


The Office of the National Coordinator has reorganized (as they do every few years)  and there are now 11 directors (see chart below) . Interesting that even though the 2 billion in HITECH programs are shutting down there is a slight increase in staff (to 191) from prior years.

Here is the link which will be published in the Federal Register June 3rd. The "new" organization will include the following  (looks like Consumer eHealth is now under Programs?)

A. Immediate Office of the National Coordinator (ARA)
 (includes Deputy National Coordinator - Jacob Reider GP 15 $ 248,321.
B. Office of Clinical Quality and Safety (ARG) - Judy Murphy ES $179,700.00
C. Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Analysis (ARB) - Seth Pazinski  GS15 $144,385
D. Office of Standards and Technology (ARC) - Steve Posnack  GS 15 $136,134
E. Office of Programs (ARD) (Also oversees consumer) - Kim Lynch GS15 $127,883
F. Office of Public Affairs and Communications (ARH) - Nora Super GS 15 $155,500
G. Office of the Chief Operating Officer (ARE) - Lisa Lewis ES $167,500
H. Office of the Chief Privacy Officer (ARF) - Joy Pritts ES $165,00
I. Office of Policy (ARI) - Jodi Daniel ES $179,700
J. Office of Care Transformation (ARJ)  - Kelly Cronin (good choice!) ES $179,700
K. Office of the Chief Scientist (ARK) - Doug Fridsma ES $179,700

NOTE:  the budget request for 2015 is also up 23%.

Sadly there is only .9 million and 4 staffers in the Office of Consumer Engagement (which was also a Director level but is not listed in the new org chart and appears to report to Programs.)

There are 9 SES (senior executive service) and 48 GS 15s out of 191 people (almost 1/3 of all staff)

Not sure why Office of Science and Technology budget is projected to increase almost $10 million with only 3 additional staff and the Office of the Chief Medical Officer goes up $8.5 million with no more staff? (outside contracts?)

(Note: for reference - former head of ONC Farzad was paid $179,700 and the former head of the entire VA Eric Shineski was only paid  $199,700.00) 

The current office is structured as follows so most of these offices already "exist" but it appears that the "programs" funded under HITECH  (provider adoption, HIE, certification) will be merged under Office of Programs.

Leadership Bios (current ones)

2 comments:

Unknown said...

FYI - the 2015 budget was prepared last fall

e-Patient Dave said...

First, THANK you for this. Great work, very important! (@Ahier sent me here.)

Now:

What the heck??

Has anyone heard any statements about why consumer engagement has been demoted?? I thought DeSalvo's whole claim to fame in post-Katrina New Orleans was how well she put capability into the hands of the overwhelmed public.

Anyone know??
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