The Networking and Information Technology R&D (NITRD) www.nitrd.gov program is the primary source for information on federally funded work on the areas of advanced information technologies, computing, networking, and software.
NITRD’s Health Information Technology Research and Development (HITRD) Interagency Working Group has published the draft document titled “Federal HIT R&D Strategic Framework” www.nitrd.gov/drafts/HITRD_StrategicFramework_Draft.pdf. The draft document published May 30, 2017 seeks comments on the document with the comments due June 28, 2017.
The HITRD Framework lays out a comprehensive, structured description of the current state of research, organized in a way that facilitates understanding of the field by all stakeholders and the Federal agencies that support the program.
One area highlighted in the draft document concerns “Cross-Cutting Health IT R&D Needs” since Health IT R&D is multidisciplinary and is especially needed in key cross-cutting areas.
Some of the cross-cutting Health IT R&D Needs and the outcomes produced from the research discussed in the report include:
- Advanced analytics—this will enable work on a wide range of diverse data and to develop treatments personalized for the individual
- Communication, networking, and mobile technologies—will enable information to support real-time just-in-time mobile and remote interventions
- Interoperability and implementation of data—will result in nearly seamless automated data to be reused and provide real-time feedback
- Medical device interoperability—devices will be interoperable and behave safely and securely when processing real time data. Closed loop systems with devices interacting will intelligently analyze patient changes
- Sensing—will be able to reduce risk and unchecked development of disease by communicating with doctors and patients
- Standards and terminology—data will move among systems as needed to enable coordinated care, shared information and translated to the appropriate level of detail
Other Health IT R&D cross-cutting areas to be studied now and in the future include accessibility, supportive policies, validation, verification, regulatory science, virtual digital healthcare delivery, workforce development, education, and training.
A number of federal agencies have initiated independent efforts to address health IT research, however, many gaps remain in the Federal R&D portfolio. The report suggests developing a multi-agency focus on the difficult cross-cutting R&D challenges in Health IT.
Comments may be submitted by email to hitrdframework2017@nitrd.gov. For more information, email Beth Linas at blinas@nsf.gov or call 703-292-4871.