The Evolving Regulatory Framework for Health Information Technology in the U.S

With a large potential impact and a high level of complexity in the deployment of IT in healthcare in the U.S., the role of the federal government in setting the context is important. This study provides an overview of the current and evolving regulatory environment that healthcare organizations in the U.S. face when they deploy essential information technologies. We establish the framework of analysis using the socio-technical perspective of the systems theory and analyze the five key areas of healthcare IT regulations: electronic health records, clinical decision making, healthcare information exchange, privacy and security, and mobile and electronic health. We conclude by providing overview remarks on the overall structure of the HIT regulations in the U.S.