The Office of the National Coordinator for IT

What The Office of the National Coordinator for IT does

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is a staff division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, established by the HITECH Act in 2009 and headquartered in Washington, DC. It is the principal federal entity coordinating nationwide efforts to implement and advance electronic health information exchange, operating under statutory authority granted by the 21st Century Cures Act. ONC does not sell commercial products or services and is funded through congressional appropriations rather than revenue generation.

ONC's core "products" are regulatory and standards-based rather than commercial: the ONC Health IT Certification Program (with certified products tracked on the Certified Health IT Product List), the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) — a nationwide interoperability framework across Qualified Health Information Networks — the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI, currently Version 3 with Version 4 in development), and the HTI rules (HTI-1 through HTI-5) governing certification criteria and information blocking exceptions. It also maintains developer tools including conformance test tools (INFERNO, Edge Testing Tool) and guidance resources (Health IT Playbook, SAFER Guides, Security Risk Assessment Tool). Underlying technology standards are HL7 FHIR, the SMART App Launch Framework, and the 2024 Standards Version Advancement Process.

ONC serves healthcare providers (96% of non-federal acute care hospitals exchange electronic records; 80% participate or plan to participate in TEFCA), health IT developers subject to Conditions and Maintenance of Certification, patients (65% offered and accessed online records in 2024), Health Information Exchanges/Networks, and emerging segments including behavioral health facilities (via the SAMHSA BHIT Initiative) and clinical research institutions (via Operation Trailblazer). Distribution is entirely through federal regulatory channels (Federal Register rulemaking, public comment periods, healthit.gov), with no commercial sales motion. As of March 2026, ONC was reorganized under unified HHS technology leadership alongside the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).

Name

The Office of the National Coordinator for IT

Legal name

Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

Website

https://healthit.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) is a federally funded HHS division that sets nationwide health IT certification criteria, interoperability standards (TEFCA, USCDI, FHIR), and information blocking regulations for healthcare providers, health IT developers, HIEs, and patients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Federal Health IT Policy and Interoperability Standards

NAICS

Administration of Public Health Programs (923120)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLACAIAL

Data Access, Sharing & Marketplace Platforms (incl. TEFCA/QHIN enablement)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Digital Health & Health IT/Healthcare Data Platforms, Warehousing & Governance

SECONDARYHLACABAA

Interoperability Standards, Profiles & Implementation (HL7/FHIR/IHE)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Digital Health & Health IT/Health Information Exchange (HIE) & Interoperability

SECONDARYHLACAIAF

Healthcare Terminology, Ontology & Code Set Management (SNOMED/LOINC/ICD/RxNorm)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Digital Health & Health IT/Healthcare Data Platforms, Warehousing & Governance

Keywords

• Health IT interoperability
• Health IT certification
• Health data standards
• Information blocking regulation
• Federal health IT policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Appropriation: ONC is a federal government agency funded through congressional appropriations rather than commercial revenue generation. The agency does not sell products or services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ONC is a federal staff division within HHS that sets health IT policy, interoperability standards, and certification criteria rather than selling commercial products. Its core offerings include the ONC Health IT Certification Program (with the Certified Health IT Product List), the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) for nationwide health data exchange, the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) standard, the HTI rule series, information blocking enforcement, and supporting developer tools and playbooks for health IT developers, providers, and patients.

Product overview

ONC is a U.S. federal government organization, not a commercial product company. ONC's offerings consist of regulatory programs, public databases, developer tools, and guidance resources focused on health IT standards and interoperability. The ONC Health IT Certification Program is the core framework, which certifies health IT products through the Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL). Supporting offerings include conformance test tools (INFERNO, Edge Testing Tool), the Interoperability Standards Platform (ISP), and guidance resources like the Health IT Playbook, Patient Engagement Playbook, and SAFER Guides. Data standards include USCDI (United States Core Data for Interoperability), and interoperability frameworks include TEFCA (Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement). ONC also maintains compliance tools including the Information Blocking Portal and Security Risk Assessment Tool. Regulatory frameworks include the HTI rules (HTI-1 through HTI-5) governing certification criteria and information blocking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA): Nationwide framework for interoperability of electronic health information operated by ONC.
• United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI)

Products and services

• ONC Health IT Certification Program A voluntary federal certification program that certifies Health IT Modules through ONC-Authorized Testing Laboratories and ONC-Authorized Certification Bodies, ensuring products meet standards for functionality, security, and interoperability. Certified products are listed on the Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL) for public verification. Targeted at health IT developers and vendors serving U.S. healthcare providers and payers.
• Certified Health IT Product List (CHPL) A comprehensive and authoritative public listing of all successfully tested and certified health IT modules maintained by ONC. Used by healthcare providers, payers, and regulators to verify certified products against certification criteria.
• Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) A nationwide framework for the interoperability of electronic health information, establishing a universal governance, policy, and technical floor for secure data exchange among providers, patients, public health agencies, and payers. Operated through Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs), with 80% of non-federal acute care hospitals participating or planning to participate.
• United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) A standardized set of health data classes and constituent data elements (including clinical notes, allergies, lab results, and medications) for nationwide, interoperable health information exchange. Currently at Version 3 with Version 4 requirements. Used by health IT developers as the baseline data standard for certified products.
• Information Blocking Portal An online portal for submitting claims of alleged information blocking practices by healthcare providers, health IT developers, and health information exchanges/networks. Used by patients, providers, and developers to report practices that interfere with the access, exchange, or use of electronic health information under the 21st Century Cures Act.
• Conformance Test Tools and Edge Testing Tool ONC-approved conformance test tools, including INFERNO and the Edge Testing Tool, supporting health IT developers in evaluating specific technical standards for health information interoperability. Used by developers seeking ONC Health IT Certification.
• Security Risk Assessment Tool A desktop application supporting healthcare providers in conducting HIPAA security risk assessments. Targeted at small to mid-sized provider practices needing guided risk assessment workflows.
• Health IT Playbook A consolidated playbook of strategies, recommendations, and best practices for implementing and using health data and technology in healthcare settings. Targeted at healthcare providers, clinicians, and health IT implementers.
• Patient Engagement Playbook A practical reference tool for clinicians, staff, and other innovators to improve patient engagement with health records and digital health tools. Supports the broader patient access to health records initiative.
• Interoperability Standards Platform (ISP) ONC's online platform serving as the homepage for tools and resources for understanding and using health IT standards and technologies, including the Interoperability Standards Advisory (ISA). Targeted at health IT developers, implementers, and standards-focused researchers.
• SAFER Guides Safety Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience guides providing recommendations for optimizing the safety and safe use of electronic health records. Used by healthcare organizations and EHR implementers to improve clinical safety practices.
• Electronic Clinical Quality Improvement (eCQI) Resource Center A resource center providing common standards and shared technologies to monitor and analyze the quality of healthcare and patient outcomes. Targeted at providers, quality improvement professionals, and clinical informaticists.
• Real World Testing Resource Guide and Templates Templates and guides for Certified Health IT Developers to demonstrate interoperability and functionality of their certified health IT in real world settings, including annual plan and results report templates. Required for developers maintaining certification.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of U.S. non-federal acute care hospitals engaged in electronically sending care records
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Food and Drug Administration (FDA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026FDA is contributing to Operation Trailblazer initiative alongside ONC, NIH, NCI, and ARPA-H. FDA aims to reduce early clinical trial timelines by 6 to 12 months and has issued draft guidance on evidence requirements for drug approvals.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026NIH is contributing specialized capabilities including AI tools and personalised gene-editing research to the Operation Trailblazer initiative coordinated by HHS.
• National Cancer Institute (NCI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026NCI is contributing specialized capabilities to the Operation Trailblazer initiative focused on accelerating development of lifesaving treatments and clinical research.
• Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026ARPA-H is contributing specialized capabilities to the Operation Trailblazer initiative for streamlining trial activation processes.
• American Society of NephrologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 April 2026HHS announced data standardization and health information technology improvements across the kidney care ecosystem in collaboration with the American Society of Nephrology and ONC.
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026CMS and ONC jointly published a proposed rule requiring faster prior authorization decisions for drugs, expanding electronic PA to all drugs, and increasing transparency across federal health programs. Key compliance deadlines set for October 2027.
• Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026HHS announced reorganization aligning ONC with OCIO to restore a unified model, with OCIO handling enterprise IT, cybersecurity, and data operations while ONC focuses on health IT policy, standards, and certification.
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025ONC and SAMHSA launched the BHIT Initiative in 2025 to improve behavioral health data exchange through nine pilot programs across the US, testing new data standards like USCDI+ BH and FHIR profiles.
• CommonWell Health AlliancemajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Healthcare interoperability solution providers collaborated with CommonWell to implement HL7 FHIR standards and 2024 SVAP updates for nationwide health data exchange.
• CarequalitymajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Healthcare interoperability solution providers collaborated with Carequality to implement HL7 FHIR standards and 2024 SVAP updates for nationwide health data exchange.
• eHealth ExchangemajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Healthcare interoperability solution providers collaborated with eHealth Exchange to implement HL7 FHIR standards and 2024 SVAP updates for nationwide health data exchange.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): Federal agency within HHS that administers Medicare/Medicaid and drives health IT adoption through payment policy and incentive programs. Direct strategic partner of ONC on electronic prior authorization and HTI rules; comparable as a sibling HHS entity shaping U.S. health IT through regulation and program administration.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Federal agency responsible for regulating drugs, medical devices, and health-related software including AI/ML-enabled medical devices. Operation Trailblazer partner of ONC; comparable as an HHS sibling agency whose regulatory scope increasingly overlaps with ONC's health IT and AI oversight domains.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Federal public health agency within HHS that depends on interoperable health IT for disease surveillance, reporting, and population health. Comparable as an HHS agency whose data infrastructure and standards requirements intersect with ONC's USCDI and TEFCA frameworks.
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): Federal agency funding biomedical research and a core partner in Operation Trailblazer contributing AI tools and personalized gene-editing capabilities. Comparable as an HHS agency whose clinical research and data initiatives increasingly depend on ONC's interoperability standards.
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ): Federal HHS agency that funds health IT safety, usability, and clinical decision support research, including the SAFER Guides initiative that originated with ONC. Comparable as an HHS agency whose health IT research agenda overlaps with ONC's certification and patient safety priorities.

Direct peers

• HL7 International: Global standards development organization that maintains the FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) standard, which ONC has adopted as the core API standard for U.S. certified health IT. Comparable as the primary technical-standards counterpart whose specifications ONC codifies into federal regulation.
• The Sequoia Project: Non-profit designated by ONC as the Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE) to operationalize TEFCA, managing QHIN onboarding, governance, and the Common Agreement. Comparable as the operational implementation partner that translates ONC's TEFCA policy framework into functioning nationwide exchange.
• CommonWell Health Alliance: Health information network operating as a QHIN under TEFCA, providing nationwide interoperability services to providers and EHR vendors. Comparable as a designated QHIN participant that operationalizes ONC's TEFCA exchange framework at scale.
• Carequality: Health information network that operates as a QHIN under TEFCA and enables record location and exchange across thousands of providers. Comparable as a QHIN-level network implementing ONC's interoperability and FHIR standards.
• eHealth Exchange: One of the largest U.S. health information networks and a TEFCA-designated QHIN, connecting federal agencies, hospitals, and providers for nationwide data exchange. Comparable as a QHIN implementing ONC's TEFCA framework with significant federal-agency participation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ONC_HealthIT
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HHSONC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/office-of-the-national-coordinator-for-health-information-technology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Office of the National Coordinator for IT