Mostashari Moves Health IT Advocacy to Brookings Institution

Farzad Mostashari, M.D., the departing National Coordinator of Health IT in the Department of Health and Human Services, will join the Brookings Institution as a visiting fellow, the Washington D.C.-based research and policy think tank announced this week.

Mostashari, who will step down from his top government-based health IT position at the end of the week, is slated to continue his work as an advocate for the industry. At Brookings, he will focus on how clinicians can improve care through health IT. He will particularly look at how small practices can transform developing innovative payment models that would better support their size.

In addition, Mostashari will continue to advocate for and help expand the use of electronic health record (EHR) adoption and health information exchange to support better medical practice. He’ll also look to expand the reach of Brookings’ accountable care organization (ACO) Learning Network. The initiative aims to provide participating organizations the tools necessary to successfully implement accountable care.

 “We look forward to Farzad’s extensive health care experience and expertise in using health IT to gain efficiencies and better care in ACOs and elsewhere in the healthcare system,” Engelberg Center for Healthcare Reform director Alice Rivlin said in a statement. 

The departing ONC chief tweeted out his excitement over the move:

Mostashari spent four years at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), being heavily involved leading the government’s efforts in promoting the use of health IT in healthcare. Recently, the ONC promoted Jacob Reider, M.D., director of ONC's Office of the Chief Medical Officer, to the role of acting national coordinator.