ONC names new national coordinator for health IT

Some Tricare beneficiaries’ allotments for payments may not have transferred during the new contract, putting their health care coverage at risk. (Brigitte Wodicka)

Dr. Donald Rucker, M.D. has been named the new national coordinator for the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT, per FierceHealthcare.

Previously, Rucker was the chief medical officer for Siemens and is presently an adjunct professor in the bioinformatics department at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

Friday, March 31, Rucker was listed as director of the Department of Health and Human Services following rumors he was being considered for the position.

“Don is a really good guy,” Jacob Reider, M.D., CEO at the Alliance for Better Healthcare, told FierceHealthcare, adding he has known Rucker for several decades. “He’s a very focused, thoughtful, experienced health IT leader. He’s got the best interest of the nation in mind in the work that he does and has always done.”

The acting national coordinator of the ONC, Jon White, M.D., will return to his position as deputy national coordinator.