FDA strategic plan includes focus on health IT

The FDA’s four-year strategic plan includes several health IT-related goals.

For example, the agency is looking to develop a real-time information sharing system that would be available to regulators worldwide.

The agency will work with these entities to identify critical data elements, such as unique facility identifiers, to better standardize reporting and facilitate data exchange. Also, the report says the agency will expand its capabilities in intelligence-gathering and use—with an increased focus on risk analytics and modernized IT capabilities.

“These capabilities will enable FDA to more effectively allocate our resources based on risk, leveraging the combined efforts of government, industry and public- and private-sector third parties," according to the plan.

Also, the FDA is looking to bolster its surveillance systems that track adverse event reports utilizing EHRs, insurance claims databases and registries.

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