In an effort to support strengthening community health through digital health technologies, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) encourages relevant stakeholders to respond to a request for information notice issued by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Interested stakeholders are invited to submit comments on or before 5:00 p.m. ET on February 28, 2022.
Efforts to Support Digital Health Ecosystems
As detailed in a January 2022 Federal Register, despite decades of investment in the digital health ecosystem, the COVID-19 pandemic illuminated continuing, substantial limitations in the U.S. healthcare systems, including profound disparities in healthcare and associated poorer health outcomes within certain communities. To that end, the pandemic provides an opportunity for innovation in healthcare delivery across the U.S. and internationally, particularly in community-based settings.
The OSTP is leading an initiative dedicated to Community Connected Health, and seeks information and comments about how digital health technologies are used, or could be used in the future to improve community health, individual wellness, and health equity.
The term “digital health technologies” should be interpreted broadly as any tool or set of tools that improve health or enable better healthcare delivery by connecting people with other people, with data, or with health information. Examples of this include but are not limited to: telehealth, remote patient monitoring devices, health trackers, mobile devices (e.g., smart phones, tablets), mobile health apps, and technologies for managing health information including electronic health records.
The OSTP seeks information about:
Relevant stakeholders include community health workers (CHWs) and CHW organizations of all kinds; social workers; maternal health workers; telehealth navigators; peer recovery specialists; healthcare providers; faith and community-based organizations; community health centers; State, local, tribal, and territorial governments; academic researchers; technology developers; global partners; health insurance providers; and individuals who have used, or are interested in using, digital health technologies or telehealth services.
Respond to the RFI by the requested deadline on February 28, 2022. Interested individuals and organizations should submit comments electronically to [email protected] and include “Connected Health RFI” in the subject line of the email. Access the recent Federal Register for more detailed information on the topics.
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