As Karen DeSalvo, MD, completes her time period today as the national coordinator for HIT to consider a full-time post as acting assistant secretary for the health, the mere surprise is that she didn’t make the move previously.
That is the perspective of David Muntz, an ex-deputy national coordinator at the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology from the time period of January 2012 to October 2013.
“Dr. DeSalvo has been doing a good job juggling 2 very significant jobs, both of which are more than full-time,” states Muntz, who also was appointed as CIO at Texas Health Resources and Baylor Health Care System, and now leads Muntz & Company LLC, a consultancy. “Just someone with her personal strength and devotion to purpose could do so efficaciously.” DeSalvo has been in both posts for almost 2 years, since the late 2014 year.
Now, the national coordinator post, effective on the day of August 15, shifts to Vindell Washington, MD, who has been appointed as principal deputy national coordinator at the top at ONC.
“Dr. Washington’s appointment offered few much required relief,” Muntz adds. “I consider it was prudent deployed on his track record to turn the reins over to him now to permit them both to work with complete concentration and authority on the significant problems in both places of responsibility. They both have proposed enviable track records, which bodes well for the future.”
Chuck Christian, a long period healthcare CIO and now vice president at the Indiana Health Information Exchange, has merely met the latest coordinator once since he merged with the top at ONC, but likes what he is seen. “In reading the comments of Dr. Washington on the top at ONC website and listening to few of his remarks, I am motivated that he’ll continue the work with his own leadership style.”
What that future holds, although, is murky. A recent presidential administration comes in during the month of January, and over time the latest occupants in the West Wing of the White House will evaluate who stays from the initial administration.
That DeSalvo left ONC now isn’t alarming, claims Pamela McNutt, CIO at Methodist Health System in the state of Texas. “ONC has been in proposed instability for few time, and, as it is a political appointment, it could all change in the year of 2017,” she further adds.
The resignation of DeSalvo isn’t shocking for another reason, as she served 2 years and 7 months in the post; 5 initial national coordinators basically served in the position for shorter periods of time.
Karen DeSalvo has been an amazing national coordinator,” claims Marc Probst, CIO at Intermountain Healthcare and the present board chair for the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). “At a period, when the mere comments around MU and the FACA (federal advisory committees) programs were distinctively negative and crucial, Dr. DeSalvo was capable to come in and concentrate the federal attempts in a positive direction and rally the health information technology participants to move forward.
“Her purpose has always been about making better the healthcare through the utilization of IT and I never observed a single example of her making decisions for her advantage or political intention. I’ve been reputed to know and work with Karen,” Probst added. “Vindell appears to be a great leader with positive vision. It is motivating to observe that even within the very weird political climate of DC, and the small window of period before huge changes in Washington, he is working very hard to sprint in an attempt to keep the positive momentum.”
2 health IT trade associations released statements on the top at ONC change in the leadership.
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