Daniel, longest serving ONC official, stepping down

Jodi Daniel, JD, MPH, director of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC)’s Office of Policy, is leaving the federal agency, effective Oct. 9.

Daniel is ONC's longest-serving senior official, first serving as counsel to the office when it was established in 2004.

Daniel's stepping down is a "particulary poignant farewell," said National Coordinator Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc, because she has served ONC through all five coordinators in the office’s history. DeSalvo also noted Daniel's achievements such as the creation of the ONC Consumer e-Health Program "which has led to greater support of patient access to electronic health information," DeSalvo wrote in an email to ONC employees.

"In coordination with other agencies, she developed HHS’ strategic direction for health IT and patient safety, including creating a framework for oversight of health IT that promotes safety and innovation under the FDA Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA), and creating the Health IT Safety Program at ONC," DeSalvo also wrote. "Most recently, she led efforts to identify business practices that lead to health information blocking, which interferes with interoperability, and charted a course for HHS to address the problem. As a result, there have already been changes in both legislation and EHR vendor practices."

Daniel has not revealed her future professional plans. Her deputy, Elise Anthony, will become acting director of the Office of Policy following Daniel’s departure.