The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) was created in 2004 by an executive order from President George W. Bush to develop a nationwide interoperable health IT infrastructure. In 2005, ONC awarded multimillion-dollar contracts to foster public-private collaboration and accelerate health IT adoption. The Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2008-2012 aimed to transform the healthcare system by guiding federal agencies and stakeholders’ efforts. The 2009 HITECH Act bolstered health IT adoption, reduced costs, and empowered patients, while also legally establishing ONC. From 2010 onward, ONC launched various programs, certifications, and frameworks to support health IT implementation and interoperability, including the S&I Framework and the voluntary ONC Health IT Certification Program.
By 2011, a new strategic plan guided health IT adoption, and the 2014 Edition Final Rule introduced enhanced certification criteria. In 2014, ONC outlined a 10-year vision for interoperable health IT infrastructure, and by 2015, it released roadmaps to guide nationwide and federal IT initiatives, emphasizing standards and reducing information blocking. The 2016 21st Century Cures Act focused on interoperability and patient access to health information,
