ONC's director for patient-centered IT adoption to leave

Lygeia Ricciardi is stepping down from her role leading the patient-oriented health information technology promotion efforts for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, including its work promoting the federal Blue Button initiative.

“Under Lygeia's leadership, ONC and the communities we serve have articulated a shared vision in which the consumer, patient or caregiver, enabled by information and tools, can participate more fully as a partner in both their own healthcare and health,” said Dr. Karen DeSalvo, in a note to ONC staff Thursday. “By collaborating with HHS leadership, news outlets and many other thought leaders, ONC has worked to put consumer e-health 'on the map' for healthcare and technology leaders and, increasingly, the general public.”

In her 3½ years at ONC, Ricciardi “spearheaded the development of our Consumer eHealth program and office,” DeSalvo said, then served as its director since May 2012. One of those ONC-backed initiatives is the federal Blue Button program, which aims to promote widespread adoption of the patient-medical-record-sharing protocol developed initially by the Veterans Affairs Department; earlier this year, Blue Button was adopted by several of the nationwide pharmacy chains and by commercial insurance companies.

Ricciardi previously served as a consultant, as director of the health program at the Markle Foundation, and as a speechwriter for the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, according to her biography on the ONC website.

Her departure date from ONC is July 25.

DeSalvo said ONC staffer Erin Siminerio will fill in for Ricciardi during the search for a new director of the Office of Consumer eHealth.

Follow Joseph Conn on Twitter: @MHJConn