The Indian Health Service Health Information Technology Modernization Program continues to prioritize direct engagement and alignment with Tribes, Tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations through ongoing Tribal consultation and urban confer sessions. On August 6, participants joined a virtual session that provided a high-level overview of the roadmap to upcoming cohorts and shared the latest updates on the PATH EHR implementation at the pilot site.
Chief Medical Information Officer Dr. Howard Hays opened the session with program updates and reinforced the program’s mission to deliver a unified, modern electronic health record (EHR) solution across federal, Tribal, and urban health care facilities. Hays outlined key priorities: care coordination across multiple facilities and providers, empowering patients on their health journey, supporting end users through training and resources, and protecting data with robust security measures. He also presented the latest modernization video Clinical Perspectives on PATH EHR.
The Division of Health Information Technology Modernization and Operations presented an update on pilot site progress, highlighting readiness activities at the Lawton Service Unit as it prepares for PATH EHR implementation. Preparation includes extensive workflow testing, end-user training sessions, and system testing to ensure the software functions correctly at go-live.
Chief Information Officer Mitchell Thornbrugh explained that the program will apply lessons learned from this initial implementation at the pilot site to establish readiness and implementation criteria for future sites. Preparing for a new EHR, he noted, requires a structured, multi-disciplinary approach that protects patient safety, minimizes clinical downtimes, and promotes staff adoption. He emphasized that PATH EHR implementation depends on significant site commitment, leadership involvement, staff participation, and that IHS is committed to building a long-term implementation model with localized flexibility for adoption across IHS, Tribal, and urban sites.
Program leaders closed the session with a question-and-answer session covering cohort selection, system customization, hosting data in a secure cloud environment, and ongoing technical support. Key takeaways emphasized the importance of early site readiness, transparent collaboration throughout each implementation phase, and continuous technical alignment to facilitate effective adoption. We appreciate the active participation and partnership of Tribal and urban Indian organization leaders as we work together to modernize healthcare delivery across Indian Country.
You can find the full August 6, 2026, Tribal consultation and urban confer presentation deck on the IHS website.
Stay Connected with the Health IT Modernization Program
Health IT Modernization Awareness Survey
We encourage all Tribal and urban Indian organization partners to participate regularly in the Health IT Modernization Program Awareness Survey. Your ongoing feedback tracks progress over time by measuring awareness, interest in initiatives, and communication effectiveness. These insights provide IHS with essential visibility into our engagement across Indian Country, helping us continually improve communication and support throughout PATH EHR implementation.
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- Visit the website for more information about the IHS Health IT Modernization Program
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