Health IT Roundup—CMS creates health IT policy position; Thomas Jefferson University’s pop health professorship

CMS searching for Chief Health Informatics Officer

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has unveiled a newly created position that will focus on health IT strategy for the agency.

Posted last week, the chief health informatics officer will initially focus on “improving innovation and interoperability” according to the job description. Among the job duties: Developing health IT strategy for CMS, working with external partners and acting as a liaison between CMS and private industry stakeholders.

The official will also “supervise, direct and coordinate the work of subordinate staff.” Jon White, M.D., deputy national coordinator at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT called it “kind of a big deal.” (Job Post)

Thomas Jefferson University announces new pop health professorship

Thanks to a $2 million endowment, Thomas Jefferson University’s College of Population Health has unveiled a new academic chair in population health.

The position is supported by Navvis, a population health vendor, which offered the endowment to fund academic research at a national scale. The research will focus on social determinants of health, physician and patient engagement, person-centric care, provider network alignment and payment transformation strategies.

“So far the market has not really intersected with rigorous research about what works and what doesn’t work, and what are the next-gen, new ways to attack the key elements of population health,” Stuart Baker, M.D., executive officer and president emeritus at Navvis told FierceHealthcare. (Release)

Omada expands chronic care offerings

Silicon Valley-based Omada Health has added several new programs focusing on helping patients control Type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

The new offerings build on the company’s existing prediabetes program that integrates digital tools to help consumers lose weight. The company plans to leverage its existing data analytics, expert coaching and remote monitoring to help patients with other chronic conditions.

CEO Sean Duffy said the expansion provides “a holistic digital healthcare provider built on clinical evidence, best-in-class user experience, and validated results.” (Release)