Organizations devoted to health IT are offering their kudos to the Department of Health and Human Services for its plan to support trial implementations for the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) in 2007. eHealth Initiative CEO Janet Marchibroda calls it a laudable next step towards fulfilling the vision of secure electronic health information exchange through an interconnected “network of networks” that reaches across the country.

“HHS’s linkage of its work related to the harmonization and adoption of standards and the development of prototype architectures to state and local initiatives will help to facilitate electronic information mobility among national, regional and local actors, as well as public and private sector efforts-- all of which need to connect to improve our nation's healthcare system,” she said.

Since 2003, eHI has been bringing together stakeholders from every sector of healthcare to develop common principles, policies and solutions to mobilize information securely to improve health and healthcare. According to recent eHI research, four out of five states already have or are planning a roadmap supporting HIT and health information exchange.