Proposal to privatize health IT advisory body spurs debate
Source: By Aliya Sternstein, National Journal's Technology Daily, August 14, 2007
A debate is stirring over a proposal by the Health and Human Services Department to privatize the government's existing advisory body on health information technology.
The American Health Information Community, chartered in 2005, currently counsels HHS on hastening the adoption of health IT. Now HHS is forming a successor entity, as required under the charter. The agency's proposition calls for an independent and sustainable public-private partnership.
……. Several labor and consumer advocacy groups and the seniors' group AARP have submitted comments opposing privatization over concerns that the proposed spin-off would lack accountability and transparency.