Gene L. Dodaro, Acting Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), last week announced the appointment of 13 members to the Health Information Technology Policy Committee, a new advisory body established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Stimulus Bill). The committee will make recommendations on creating a policy framework for the development and adoption of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure, including standards for the exchange of patient medical information.

Unfortunately, none of the GAO appointees are ACC members, but the good news is we count many of those appointed as friends. Drs. Paul Tang (Palo Alto), Mark Probst (Intermountain), David Bates (Partners and the Brigham), and David Lansky (Pacific Business Group on Health) have all worked with us on issues. And the ‘privacy’ and consumer reps appointed seem to be reasonable people.

There is another chance to be involved here, and in a bigger way, when the Office of the National Coordinator on Health IT in HHS appoints their own Advisory Committee to work with the new National Coordinator, David Blumenthal MD, another friend of ACC. Plus, MedPAC and various public-private bodies, including CCHIT, Connecting for Health and others, also will be important.