42 U.S.C. § 300jj–31 — Immediate funding to strengthen the health information technology infrastructure

(a) In general Using amounts appropriated under section 300jj-38, the Secretary must invest in the infrastructure needed to allow for and promote the electronic exchange and use of health information for every individual in the United States, consistent with the goals in the National Coordinator's strategic plan (developed, as available, under section 300jj-11). The Secretary must invest these funds through agencies with relevant expertise - such as the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Indian Health Service - to support: (1) health IT architecture supporting secure, private, accurate nationwide electronic exchange and use of health information, including connecting health information exchanges, and possibly updating and implementing infrastructure within different HHS agencies to support that use and exchange; (2) developing and adopting appropriate certified electronic health records for categories of health care providers not eligible for Medicare or Medicaid support to adopt such records; (3) training on, and sharing information about, best practices for integrating health IT (including electronic health records) into a provider's delivery of care - consistent with lessons from the Health Information Technology Research Center under section 300jj-32(b) - including for community health centers, covered entities under section 256b, and providers participating in Medicare, Medicaid, or the State Children's Health Insurance Program; (4) infrastructure and tools promoting telemedicine, including coordination among federal agencies on that promotion; (5) promoting interoperability of clinical data repositories or registries; (6) promoting technologies and best practices that better protect health information held by anyone who holds individually identifiable health information; and (7) improving and expanding health IT use by public health departments. (b) Coordination The Secretary must make sure funds under this section are used in a coordinated way with other health information promotion activities. (c) Additional use of funds Besides the uses in subsection (a), the Secretary may also use amounts appropriated under section 300jj-38 to carry out health IT activities provided for under laws already in effect on February 17, 2009. (d) Standards for acquisition of health information technology As much as practical, when funds under this section are spent to acquire health IT, the Secretary must ensure they are used to acquire health IT that meets the standards adopted under section 300jj-14. Where that is not practical, the Secretary must ensure the health IT meets other applicable standards the Secretary has otherwise adopted.