Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel?
The Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) brings together experts from across the healthcare community - from consumers to doctors, nurses, and hospitals;
from those who develop healthcare IT products to those who use them; and from the government agencies who monitor the U.S. healthcare system to those organizations who actually
write the standards. The Panel’s objectives are to:
- serve and establish a cooperative partnership between the public and private sectors to achieve a widely accepted and useful set of standards that will enable and support
widespread interoperability among healthcare software applications in a Nationwide Health Information Network for the United States.
- harmonize relevant standards in the healthcare industry to enable and advance interoperability of healthcare applications, and the interchange of healthcare data,
to assure accurate use, access, privacy and security, both for supporting the delivery of care and public health.
How was HITSP formed?
In the fall of 2005, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the National Coordinator
for Health Information Technology (ONC) awarded multiple contracts to advance President Bush's vision for widespread adoption of interoperable electronic health records
(EHRs) within ten (10) years. The contracts targeted the creation of processes to harmonize standards, certify EHR applications, develop nationwide health information
network prototypes and recommend necessary changes to standardized diverse security and privacy policies.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) was selected as a part of the Standards Harmonization Collaborative,
a cooperative effort of eighteen (18)
independent entities that resulted in the formation of HITSP.
Who administers HITSP?
HITSP is administered by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in cooperation with strategic partners including the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), the Advanced Technology Institute (ATI), and Booz Allen Hamilton.
How much does it cost to belong to the HITSP?
HITSP expenses are borne by the contract award and there is no participation or membership fee.
Who can join the HITSP?
The HITSP reaches across the stakeholder community and facilitates the broadest possible participation of all affected parties. Membership on the Panel is open to groups within any of four major categories: standards development organizations (SDOs), non-SDO stakeholder organizations, government bodies and consumer groups.
How can I get involved?
There are numerous opportunities for materially interested and affected parties to participate. To volunteer, please contact Theresa Wisdom, Manager, Standards Harmonization, HIMSS,
or jkant@himss.org, Coordinator, Standards Harmonization, HIMSS.
Who do I contact to ask more questions?
For questions regarding the formation and/or governance of the HITSP, contact:
HITSP Secretariat
Michelle Deane
HITSP Secretary
American National Standards Institute
Technical Committee Liaisons
Theresa Wisdom, MBA, RHIA
Manager, Standards Harmonization
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
Jessica Kant
Coordinator, Standards Harmonization
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society
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