HHS reshuffle gives ONC major new powers in the AI ecosystem
The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) has been a central player in the healthcare system’s digital development for decades, setting rules and requiring standards that have slowly but surely nudged the ecosystem into the direction of value-driven interoperability.
Now, as artificial intelligence starts putting enormous new pressures on that still-fragile framework, HHS is delegating even more authority to a reorganized ONC to set guardrails and guide future policies.
In a late July announcement, HHS unveiled a new leadership structure that puts responsibility for artificial intelligence squarely under the purview of a juiced-up ONC.
What’s happening to AI oversight in healthcare
The current National Coordinator for Health IT, Micky Tripathi, PhD, will be getting a promotion to Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. As a result, the ONC will get an additional acronym in its new name: Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC).
Oversight of technology, data, and AI policy and strategy will move from the Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA) to ASTP/ONC. To manage these new responsibilities, ASTP/ONC will establish a series of new leadership positions, including the HHS-wide roles of Chief Technology Officer, Chief Data Officer, and Chief AI Officer. Tripathi will take on the role of Acting Chief AI Officer as HHS conducts a nationwide search to fill the new trio of positions.
HHS is looking for a Chief AI Officer who will set AI policy and strategy, establish governance, coordinate activities across the sector, and champion the “safe and appropriate use: of AI tools and technologies within HHS and elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the new Chief Data Officer will manage strategy, governance, and policy development while supporting collaborative use of data as a strategic asset for HHS.
“ONC already plays a critical role in health IT across our agencies and with industry. This reorganization builds on those capabilities to advance all our strategic, mission-focused technology, data, and AI policies and activities,” said HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm. “These organizational changes will ensure that HHS is best situated to serve the American people during this incredibly dynamic time in the technology space.”
In addition to these changes, HHS has announced that the public-private effort between the health sector and the federal government on cybersecurity (“405(d) Program”) will shift from ASA to Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), where it will join other existing activities to streamline cybersecurity efforts.
“Cybersecurity, data, and artificial intelligence are some of the most pressing issues facing the health care space today. As a Department, HHS must be agile, accountable, and strategic to meet the needs of this moment,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “For decades, HHS has worked across the organization to ensure appropriate and safe use of technology, data, and AI to advance the health and well-being of the American people. This reorganization builds on that success and prepares the Department for the challenges that lie ahead.”
What it means for the future of AI development
The shakeup reflects the federal government’s accelerating efforts to get out ahead of AI while it still can. While independent organizations have already released dozens of frameworks and guidelines for the responsible development of AI in healthcare, there isn’t a unified consensus around what to do with AI technologies, how to do it, and how to monitor the results for bias, errors, and other negative downstream impacts.
President Biden’s 2023 executive order on AI was a start, and federal agencies are beginning to launch efforts to prevent bias and make sure AI developers only use their powers for good. But it’s clear that a stronger approach is necessary in this Wild West environment – and giving the generally well-liked and respected ONC more authority to oversee proceedings could be a smart move.
But with a set of technologies that is maturing faster than the speed of light while being infused into every nook and cranny of the data-driven world, it’s going to be very tricky to hit the right balance of regulation and free market innovation while keeping patients safe from potential harm.
Doing so will require the ONC to maximize the muscle of its newly centralized authority while securing willing collaboration from developers and end users. Only time will tell how successful this strategy will be as AI continues its supercharged march toward digital dominance in healthcare and beyond.
Jennifer Bresnick is a journalist and freelance content creator with a decade of experience in the health IT industry. Her work has focused on leveraging innovative technology tools to create value, improve health equity, and achieve the promises of the learning health system. She can be reached at [email protected].