White House cites use of health data as example of its innovation initiative

Efforts by federal agencies to release health data have given the Obama Administration an opportunity to tout its national innovation strategy, which is aimed in part at accelerating job growth in the health information technology sector.

"Government health data in file cabinets in Washington actually is an inhibitor to all the creativity and entrepreneurial energy in the country. So we're releasing it," said Aneesh Chopra, federal chief technology officer. The Health and Human Services Department "says we're going to release thousands of data elements about the health performance at the community level." He said much of this data already is accessible on the Internet, but on websites that most people, including those at Wednesday's event, don't know exist. For example, Hospital Compare is a relatively obscure site that allows users to gauge the quality of health care services at hospitals that agree to report data on the outcomes of their procedures.