Mostashari Announces Decision To Leave ONC
By John Oncea, Editor
Resignation end four-year tenure, including last two as National Coordinator
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Dr. Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM announced his decision to resign as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services effective this fall. He did not announce his future plans, but assured colleagues he would “be by (their sides) as we continue to battle for healthcare transformation, cheering you on.”
According to his bio on HealthIT.gov, “Mostashari first joined ONC as its deputy national coordinator in July 2009. During his tenure in this position, he developed a series of grant programs to promote electronic health record adoption, furthered the development of health information exchange, and helped construct the workforce development program. His vision has been instrumental in the formulation of the ONC’s Health IT Strategic Plan, the creation of ONC’s Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies, and will influence future stages of Meaningful Use.”
Mostashari came to ONC from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene where he served as Assistant Commissioner for the Primary Care Information Project. He also led the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-funded NYC Center of Excellence in Public Health Informatics and an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality-funded project focused on quality measurement at the point of care.
Mostashari’s decision was announced by United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius in a letter sent to HHS staff. HIStalk obtained a copy of the letter which reads in part, “During his tenure, ONC has been at the forefront of designing and implementing a number of initiatives to promote the adoption of health IT among health care providers. Farzad has seen through the successful design and implementation of ONC’s HITECH programs, which provide health IT training and guidance to communities and providers; linked the meaningful use of electronic health records to population health goals; and laid a strong foundation for increasing the interoperability of health records—all while ensuring the ultimate focus remains on patients and their families. This critical work has not only brought about important improvements in the business of health care, but also has helped providers better coordinate care, which can improve patients’ health while saving money at the same time.”
HIStalk also obtained and posted a copy of Mostashari’s letter sent to his fellow “ONC’ers” announcing his decision. Available at the same link as above, the letter begins, “On a pre-dawn morning in June 2009, I paced helplessly outside my Mom’s hospital room as alarms beeped and the monitor showed the most recent run of life-threatening heart arrhythmia. I had screwed up my courage to ask to see the paper chart, but I couldn’t even read the cardiology consult’s name. After her discharge it was also very difficult to get her records; she didn’t get needed follow-up and required emergency surgery. The complications, which weren’t supposed to happen, indecently increased the hospital’s revenue.”
A week later, Mostashari began his job at ONC where the “office had a daunting task ahead of it.” He goes on to recount stories and successes he and the ONC experienced during his four-year stay before writing, “My mom has recovered now. Her hospital is working to implement new systems to provide accountable care. Her prescriptions and health records are electronic and can be shared across the state. Like 37 million other elderly Americans, we can access her medical history with her Medicare Blue Button records on her mobile phone.”
Mostashari concludes, “There are formidable challenges still ahead for our community, and for ONC. But none more difficult than what we have already accomplished. In these difficult and challenging times, your work gives us hope that we can still do big things as a country. That government and the private sector working together can do what neither can do alone. We have been pioneers in a new landscape, but that landscape is one changed forever, and for better.
“It is difficult for me to announce that I am leaving. I don’t know what I will be doing after I leave public service, but be assured that I will be by your side as we continue to battle for healthcare transformation, cheering you on.”
Praise for Mostashari poured in from across the healthcare industry and, true to his reputation, Mostashari was quick to deflect it as witnessed by two of his tweets following his announcement:
