The search for a new National Coordinator for Health Information has not unearthed a viable replacement as yet. The former coordinator, David Brailer, resigned last April.
President Bush and HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt are leading the search, and timing seems to be an issue. Potential candidates for the position may not want to relocate to Washington for a presidential appointment that may end at the close of the current term.
Additionally, some think that the search may be hampered by qualified candidates being immersed in their own health IT projects.
However, there are pressing issues that require a national health IT coordinator, including communicating a vision that fosters public trust in health IT, coordinating efforts among federal agencies to adopt health IT and managing contracts awarded by HHS for health IT prototypes. Based on those issues, most insiders feel optimistic that the search will continue in earnest and ultimately produce a qualified replacement.
1. Maybe their requirements just too high?
Posted at 9:49AM on Aug 3rd 2006 by Brochu