Sylvia Burwell Brings on New Member to Health IT Policy Committee

Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell has named a new member to the Health Information Technology Policy Committee (HITPC) and renewed appointments for three members of the Health IT Standards Committee (HITSC).

The new HIPTC member is Anjum Khurshid, who is a senior advisor in the health systems division of the Louisiana Public Health Institute and will serve as a public health representative on HITPC. Khurshid, who served on the policy committee’s interoperability and health information exchange workgroup this summer, will replace Josh Sharfstein, secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene for the state of Maryland

Members of the HIT Standards Committee that have been reappointed are Floyd Eisenberg, M.D., quality measurement representative, Leslie Kelly Hall, consumer/patient representative, and Arien Malec, electronic exchange representative.

The two federal advisory committees were created through the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA). The committees provide the opportunity for stakeholders and the public to provide direct input to HHS. The HHS Secretary appoints three members of the HITPC, four members are appointed by Congress, 13 members are appointed by the Comptroller General of the United States, and the President appoints other federal members. The HHS Secretary appoints members of the HITSC, with input from the HHS National Coordinator for Health IT.