The Fed Mission Success Round Up: Health IT, Digital Services, Modernization, and More in Federal Agencies

Weekly News Round Up
Written By Fareeha Khan

Welcome to the Fed Mission Success News Round Up brought to you by Makpar. Each week, we will provide a summary of actionable news and insights to help aid in overall mission success for Federal agency IT decision-makers and influencers.

IBM Sells Watson Health Assets to Investment Firm Francisco Partners

IBM has reached a deal to sell the healthcare data and analytics assets from its Watson Health business to investment firm Francisco Partners. The assets acquired by Francisco Partners include extensive and diverse data sets and products, including Health Insights, MarketScan, Clinical Development, Social Program Management, Micromedex and imaging software offerings, the company said in a press release. 

HHS Adds Health Data Classes and Elements for Nationwide Sharing

The Department of Health and Human Services continues to issue guidance furthering the nationwide interoperability of health IT with the release of new data classes and elements for electronic exchange. A draft Version 3 of the U.S. Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI v3) adds the health insurance information and health status classes and 20 elements between them and the laboratory, patient demographics and procedures classes.

HHS Publishes Framework for Nationwide Health Information Exchange

The Department of Health and Human Services satisfied a 21st Century Cures Act requirement by publishing a framework for exchanging health information nationwide. Together the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) provide rules for securely sharing clinical data between health information networks. The former provides non-binding principles, and the latter establishes technical terms. 

House Of Representatives to Launch New Digital Service Team

The Office of the Chief Administrator in the House of Representatives is working to establish a new House Digital Service that will be tasked with improving the technology solutions available to lawmakers. The new team will have the freedom to experiment and to build software prototypes.

GSA Working to Expand on Social Security Administration’s Digital Identity System

The General Services Administration wants to replicate a system the Social Security Administration has been implementing over the last three years to reduce identity theft in the financial services sector for use in the provision of digital services by various other agencies.

Reps. Connolly, Issa Establish IT Modernization Caucus

Reps. Gerry Connolly, D-Va. and Darrell Issa, R-Calif., have established a bipartisan IT modernization caucus in the House. The new group is intended to bring together Federal policymakers and private enterprises who have joint interests in working to help modernize government IT systems and will serve as an informal discussion group.

Agency Digital Modernization Efforts Hinge on Data, Customer Experience Efforts

A group of leading Federal technologists explained themes of data-driven decision making combined with sub-agency feedback in digital transformation efforts.

As Pilot IRS Program Expands, Agency Looks for More Ways To ‘Buy Like a Venture Capitalist’

The IRS is increasing use of its streamlined procurement and phased-funding program to deploy innovative tools that address nagging problems like converting paper files to digital records. 

CISA Releases Finalized IPv6 Guidance for Agencies

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency published guidance meant to provide Federal agencies with security considerations regarding Trusted Internet Connections 3.0 implementations as they transition to IPv6.

FITARA 14.0 Scorecard Will Feature a Revised Methodology

The House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations plans to revise the methodology behind FITARA grading, after 13 agencies’ overall grades remained the same on the 13th biannual scorecard released Thursday.

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Fareeha Khan
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