NQF Forms new health IT advisory committee

Washington, DC (May 10, 2010) – To guide its ongoing work in health information technology, the National Quality Forum (NQF) has formed a new Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC). Members of the new advisory committee represent a wide range of healthcare stakeholders, including consumers, providers, clinicians, purchasers, suppliers, and public and community healthcare.

The NQF Board of Directors approved the creation of HITAC, charging the body with:

• developing a strategic plan and providing ongoing guidance for NQF’s HIT portfolio;
• offering input on HIT projects, such as maintenance of the Quality Data Set and specification of testing requirements for eMeasures;
• reviewing electronic specifications for NQF-endorsed^® and candidate standards; and
• making recommendations on the endorsement and maintenance of HIT-related consensus standards.

HITAC is a standing committee of the NQF Board of Directors and includes non-voting federal liaisons from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Indian Health Service, the Office of the National Coordinator for HIT, and the Veterans Health Administration. Members of HITAC are eligible to serve three-year terms. To stagger the future appointment cycle, inaugural HITAC members will serve one-, two-, or three-year terms.