AAP Resource Center - Council on Clinical Information Technology

The Council on Clinical Information Technology (COCIT) is AAP's home for members who are committed to, invested in, and enthusiastic about the development, implementation, spread, and promotion of health information technology (HIT) that works for clinicians in their efforts to improve children's health.

COCIT members represent all corners of the pediatric HIT universe: novice EHR users, health information exchange advocates, meaningful use attesters, CMIOs, board-certified Clinical Informaticians, and everyone in between.

Mission:
To advance the effective use and growth of information science and technology for child health through advocacy, education, and leadership.

Vision:
Every infant, child, and adolescent in every venue will be cared for with health information technology that improves the quality of health care.

Goals:
1. Support the usage of pediatric HIT and HIE in actual practice, including the Medical Home, with a particular focus on addressing the Child Health Priorities identified in the AAP Strategic Plan.
2. Ensure HIT solutions are child-friendly, affordable, and cost-effective, and support quality care, including the Medical Home.
3. Increase the visibility and effectiveness of the efforts of COCIT and the AAP in providing HIT and HIE direction and leadership.
4. Provide high value for COCIT members.

AAP Health IT Strategic Priorities:
• Continuous patient and family engagement in health electronically, in a private, secure, equitable, accessible way.
• Facilitating pediatric learning health systems.
• Next generation education and burnout.
• Consolidation and maintenance of multi-sourced data in a safe, meaningful, and usable way.

Any clinician who is a member of the national AAP may join COCIT. In addition, physicians and non-physicians who are actively involved in some aspect of pediatric health IT or informatics may join COCIT as affiliate members. COCIT members have unique opportunities to enhance and share their own expertise, to take on impactful leadership roles, and to network with peers who share their interest and enthusiasm for health information technologies. Within the AAP, COCIT members author policy, present as faculty, serve on project advisory committees, and participate in research. Additionally, COCIT members are frequently invited to represent the AAP at national meetings, specialty conferences, multi-stakeholder projects, and in other venues.

COCIT members author AAP policy that defines standards and priorities for the development, implementation, and use of EHRs and health IT in pediatric care. Policies such as Special Requirements of Electronic Health Record Systems in Pediatrics, Standards for Health Information Technology to Ensure Adolescent Privacy, Electronic Prescribing in Pediatrics, and Electronic Communication of the Health Record and Information With Pediatric Patients and Their Guardians have had direct, tangible impacts on legislation, health system policy, EHR functionality, and clinicians' use of these tools in their daily practice. COCIT's most recent policy, Electronic Documentation in Pediatrics, articulates the Academy’s position that clinical documentation should support pediatric values and priorities, including anticipatory guidance and family-centered care. Hailed as "a new classic" in informatics policy, the document also addresses the urgent need to reduce documentation burden and focus on documentation strategies that support high quality, long-term, patient-centered health care.

COCIT leadership and members work tirelessly to support, educate, and engage pediatricians in the use of electronic health records (EHRs) and other health IT tools. Our experts have shared their experience and expertise to support the development and implementation of the AHRQ Children's EHR Format, the 21st Century Cures Act, and the recommendations for pediatric functionality of health IT. In addition, they have spent countless hours guiding pediatricians through applications, attestations, and audits in the CMS Promoting Interoperability/Meaningful Use Program.