velopment of standards under this paragraph, 
the National Coordinator, as appropriate, shall 
provide for the testing of such standards in col-
laboration with the National Institute for 
Standards and Technology under section 201 of 
the Health-e Information Technology Act of 
2008. 
‘‘(E) CONSISTENCY
WITH
PRIVACY
AND 
SECURITY REQUIREMENTS.—The standards rec-
ommended under this paragraph shall be con-
sistent with applicable privacy and security 
standards and requirements adopted pursuant 
to section 1173 of the Social Security Act, to 
title IV of the Health-e Information Technology 
Act of 2008, or otherwise. 
‘‘(F) PUBLIC INPUT.—The National Coor-
dinator shall conduct open public meetings and 
develop a process to allow for public comment 
on the recommendations made under this para-
graph. Under such process comments shall be 
submitted in a timely manner after the date of 
publication of a recommendation under this 
paragraph. 
‘‘(G) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary shall 
provide for publication in the Federal Register 
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and the posting on the Internet website of the 
Office of the National Coordinator for Health 
Information Technology of all recommendations 
made by the National Coordinator under this 
paragraph. 
‘‘(3) CERTIFICATION.—The National Coordi-
nator, in consultation with the Director of the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology and 
other relevant Federal agencies, shall develop a pro-
gram (either directly or by contract) for the vol-
untary certification (and periodic recertification) of 
health information technology systems (and compo-
nents of such systems) as being in compliance with 
all applicable standards (for each category described 
in paragraph (2)(A)) that are adopted under this 
subtitle. Such program shall include testing of the 
technology in accordance with section 201(b) of the 
Health-e Information Technology Act of 2008. 
‘‘(4) FEDERAL OPEN SOURCE HEALTH IT SYS-
TEM.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The National Coordi-
nator shall provide for coordinating the develop-
ment, routine updating, and provision of an 
open source health information technology sys-
tem that is either new or based on an open 
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source health information technology system, 
such as VistA, that is in existence as of the 
date of the enactment of this title and that is 
in compliance with all applicable standards (for 
each category described in paragraph (2)(A)) 
that are adopted under this subtitle. The Na-
tional Coordinator shall make such system pub-
licly available for use, after appropriate pilot 
testing, as soon as practicable but not later 
than 9 months after the date of the adoption by 
the Secretary of the initial set of standards and 
guidance under section 3003(c). 
‘‘(B) CONSORTIUM.—In order to carry out 
subparagraph (A), the National Coordinator 
shall establish, not later than 6 months after 
the date of the enactment of this section, a con-
sortium comprised of individuals with technical, 
clinical, and legal expertise open source health 
information technology. The Secretary, through 
agencies with the Department, shall provide as-
sistance to the consortium in conducting its ac-
tivities under this paragraph. 
‘‘(C) AUTHORIZATION TO CHARGE NOMI-
NAL FEE.—The National Coordinator may im-
pose a nominal fee for the adoption by a health 
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care provider of the health information tech-
nology system developed or approved under sub-
paragraph (A). Such fee shall take into account 
the circumstances of smaller providers and pro-
viders located in rural or other medically under-
served areas. 
‘‘(D) OPEN
SOURCE
DEFINED.—In this 
paragraph, the term ‘open source’ has the 
meaning given such term by the Open Source 
Initiative. 
‘‘(5) NATIONWIDE HEALTH INFORMATION NET-
WORK.—The National Coordinator shall facilitate 
the development and expansion of sub-national 
health information organizations and the coordina-
tion of such organizations in order to provide for the 
nationwide electronic exchange of health information 
among such organizations that ensures that appro-
priate information is available at the time and place 
of care and enables the aggregation of health infor-
mation for research and public health purposes. 
‘‘(6) STRATEGIC PLAN.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 12 
months after the date of the enactment of this 
title, the National Coordinator shall, in con-
sultation with other appropriate Federal agen-
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cies (including the National Institute of Stand-
ards and Technology), develop and maintain a 
strategic plan with specific objectives, mile-
stones, and metrics for each strategic plan area 
described in subparagraph (B). The National 
Coordinator shall, in consultation with such 
other appropriate Federal agencies, annually 
update such strategic plan. 
‘‘(B) 
STRATEGIC
PLAN
AREAS
RE-
QUIRED.—The strategic plan areas include at 
least the following: 
‘‘(i) 
The 
establishment 
of 
rec-
ommendations for and development of 
standards and guidance for each category 
under paragraph (2)(A), including rec-
ommendations described in section 422 of 
the Health-e Information Technology Act 
of 2008, and the adoption of standards so 
recommended, including the process of up-
dating of such standards and guidance. 
‘‘(ii) The development of the certifi-
cation program under paragraph (3) and 
the establishment and maintenance of a 
list of health information technology sys-
tems (and components of such systems) 
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