Karen DeSalvo nominated assistant secretary at HHS, will leave ONC if confirmed

ONC chief Karen DeSalvo

President Barack Obama on Wednesday said he plans to nominate Karen DeSalvo as Assistant Secretary for Health at the Department of Health and Human Services. She will leave her post as National Coordinator for Health Information Technology if confirmed.

DeSalvo, who has led the ONC since her appointment in December 2013, had been acting assistant secretary at HHS since last fall. In her time at the ONC, DeSalvo oversaw a critical few years for healthcare information technology as electronic health records, and the federal meaningful use program, took significant hold among U.S. healthcare providers. Her primary focus has been on interoperablitiy among EHR platforms.

Prior to joining the ONC, DeSalvo, a former practicing internal medicine physician, served as Health Commissioner for the City of New Orleans, managing the city's health care in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

DeSalvo was named acting secretary in 2014 to help the Obama administration address the threat of Ebola in the United States.

HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell shared the news of DeSalvo's nomination in a note to HHS staff.

"Karen’s nomination now goes to the Senate for confirmation," Burwell wrote. "As the Senate process moves forward, Karen will serve again as the Acting Assistant Secretary for Health. At the same time, as her confirmation is pending, she will continue to serve as the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. Please join me in congratulating Karen, and wishing her the best as the confirmation process begins."

Sister publication Healthcare IT News named DeSalvo one of its HIT Men and Women in 2015. She accepted the award at this April’s HIMSS15 conference in Chicago.

Twitter: @HenryPowderly