ONC https://healthit.gov under the Leading Edge Acceleration Projects (LEAP) in Health IT released the Funding Opportunity Notice (NAP-AX-18-003) to advance health IT standards and tools.
The goal of LEAP in Health IT Funding is to address the challenges inhibiting the development, use, and/or advancement of well designed, interoperable health IT.
Area 1 award goal is to improve social determinants of health data exchange with one award for $1 million. Providers can play a critical role not only in helping to identify individuals’ social determinants of health related data and social needs, but also to identify and help patients access available resources within their community.
The current challenge in SDOH data use and interoperability warrants investment in secure communication tools for non-clinical health supporting services. Currently ONC supports the collection, access, exchange, and use of SDOH data to include standards and data, emerging policies to inform overall policy development to overcome SDOH interoperability challenges, support states and local governments as they build the infrastructure to support access, exchange, and use of SDOH data, and develop and drive innovative opportunities to integrate the information into clinical care, workflow, and EHRs.
Area 2 award goal is to develop tools for making electronic health records data research and artificial intelligence ready with an award for $1 million. It is necessary to develop health IT tools to facilitate the standardized gathering and assessment of high quality data needed for research including development and testing of artificial intelligence (AI) applications still remains an outstanding need. This is particularly important when dealing with clinical data generated by different healthcare organizations and captured in varying EHR systems.
For more information go to the February 23 Notice titled Funding Announcement: FY2021 Special Emphasis Notice (SEN) at healthit.gov . An informational webinar will be held to further discuss the funding opportunity on March 9, 2021 at 2-3pm ET. A video recording will be available following the webinar. Applications are due May 10, 2021.
Program inquiries can be emailed to Tracy H. Okubo Senior Program Analyst at ONC ONC-LEAP@hhs.gov Grant related inquiries can be directed to Carmel Halloun, Grants Branch Chief ONC, at oncgants@hhs.gov.