As Funding Dries Up, ONC Reorganizes, Consolidates Offices

National Coordinator for Health IT Karen DeSalvo, in an internal memo sent to ONC staffers and emailed to FierceHealthIT late Friday, announced a slew of organizational changes at the agency. The changes also are set to appear in the Federal Register on June 3.

DeSalvo said the changes will enable ONC to better meet the needs of the future, saying that the realignment will improve effectiveness by "combining similar functions, elevating critical priority functions and providing a flatter and more accountable reporting structure."

"The HITECH Act's health IT infrastructure and program investments are ending and it is our responsibility to take this opportunity to reshape our agency to be as efficient and effective as possible, never losing sight of our primary accountability--the people of America," DeSalvo said. DeSalvo and new Deputy National Coordinator Jacob Reider now will oversee 10 offices instead of 17...