5/4/2023
Public Health is one of the most complex issues in the United States due to its large structure. One of the governing bodies in charge of its fundamental aspects is the HHS or Department of Health and Human Services.
To understand its dynamics a little better, we review its function and its attached agencies.
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What is HHS?
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is an agency that is part of the executive branch of the federal government.
Its mission is to protect and enhance the well-being of American citizens by providing effective care and encouraging advances in public services, health and medicine.
The HHS Secretary directs this agency from his office in Washington, DC. As a member of the President-elect's cabinet, he or she must be nominated by the President-elect and then confirmed by a majority vote in the Senate.
The current structure of the department dates back to 1979 and until 1995, this agency was responsible for overseeing Social Security.
Functions of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
The HHS is responsible for managing any program related to health, health information technology, and population wellness.
This entity operates with almost ¼ of the national spending budget and receives more grants than all other federal agencies combined. For this reason, it has 11 divisions:
- IHS or Indian Health Service
- NIH or National Institutes of Health
- ACF or Administration for Children and Families
- CDC or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- FDA or Food and Drug Administration
- ACL or Administration for Community Living
- AHQR or Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research
- CMS or Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- HRSA or Health Resources and Services Administration
- ATSDR or Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
- SAMHSA or Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
The Department of Health and Human Services also includes the USPHS or U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, which is headed by the Surgeon General.
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Another important aspect of this agency involves monitoring the application of some types of health information technologies. In this regard, it seeks to:
- Actively manage the health IT infrastructure.
- Provide guidance for the development of health IT implementation.
- Provide assistance in protecting against ransomware cyber-attacks.
- Work to gain a good understanding of cutting-edge technology, such as blockchain.
How it carries out its Department of Health and Human Services functions.
There are a number of ways HHS can help promote and improve the well-being of Americans. It seeks to accomplish its goals by:
- By setting policy. Since the HHS secretary is part of the president's cabinet, he or she must coordinate with the administration and Congress to define public health policies and their eventual communication.
- Promoting research. HHS relies on several divisions to carry out this work. Among the most relevant are NIH, CDC, AHQR, and ATSDR.
- Insuring the public. Through Medicaid and Medicare, the Department of Health and Human Services provides health care to approximately 25% of the U.S. population. It also has the power to enforce congressional measures, such as the ACA and the 1996 HIIPA.
- Improving health databases. HHS has under its charge the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), which manages a strategic plan to coordinate databases nationwide.
- Promoting food and drug safety. As we have seen, HHS is also responsible for overseeing the FDA, whose work is aimed at setting safety standards for food and drugs within the United States.
Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
Created in 2004 by former President George W. Bush, the ONC was incorporated into law through the HITECH Act. The purpose of this entity is to promote a national health technology infrastructure and oversee its development.
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This includes policy coordination, strategic planning for the adoption of new technologies and health information exchanges (HIE) through the National Health Information Network.
ONC aims to fulfill its fundamental goal of promoting a national health IT infrastructure. To this end, it seeks to improve the quality of healthcare and reduce costs at the same time.
It also seeks to optimize coordination in terms of care and information between hospitals, laboratories, physicians and other institutions within the system. Finally, it seeks to ensure that personal health records (PHRs) are protected.
Español: ¿Qué es el HHS y qué función tiene en Estados Unidos?