ONC creates chief health information officer role

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) has created a new position of chief health information officer which will be filled by Michael James McCoy, MD.

The board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist has practiced clinically for more than 20 years, and has over a decade of experience in health IT, with special interests in interoperability, user experience and person-centered care, according to an email sent to ONC staff by National Coordinator Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc.

"In this new role, Mike will lead development of ONC clinical policy for standards and regulatory matters to help ensure ONC initiatives improve health beyond healthcare. He will also be the lead clinical subject matter expert on interoperability."

McCoy's background includes leadership roles in nearly all facets of the health IT domain, DeSalvo wrote, "from use in small physician offices to large national health delivery systems, IT development and standards development organizations."

McCoy's involvement in standards development includes Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Patient Care Coordination domain, and the IHE International Board of Directors. He represented the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists as its health IT strategist in multiple SDO forums; has worked with the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology as co-chair of the Women’s Health Work Group; and participated on the Child Health Expert Panel and the Ambulatory Work Group. 

McCoy "is passionate, as am I, on making effective use of interoperable healthcare IT while ensuring a person-centered health system that results in the best outcomes possible," wrote DeSalvo.

McCoy will begin in his new role on Jan. 26 and will report directly to DeSalvo.