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Did we just witness the end of health IT red tape?
On December 22, the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy dropped a regulatory bombshell: HTI-5.
34 of 60 health IT certification criteria, gone.
7 more, completely revised.
The goal? Unleash AI and innovation by killing bureaucratic barriers.
This isn’t just tweaking regulations. This is demolition.
The timing is strategic. With Trump’s Executive Orders on deregulation and anti-competitive barriers in full swing, HHS is betting that less regulation equals more innovation. They’re scrapping Biden-era data sharing proposals, nixing public health standards, and creating a runway for AI-enabled interoperability.
But here’s what should make you pause:
We’re removing guardrails at the exact moment AI is exploding in healthcare. The same week the FDA approved its 1,000th AI medical device, we’re stripping away certification requirements that ensure these systems work together safely.
🤔 The paradox is stunning.
More AI tools than ever. Less oversight than ever.
For health IT vendors, this is Christmas morning. Development costs will plummet. Time to market will accelerate. The bureaucratic maze that kept startups from competing with Epic and Cerner just got bulldozed.
For hospitals and FQHCs drowning in tech debt, this could mean cheaper, faster solutions. Or it could mean a wild west of incompatible systems that don’t talk to each other.
The 60-day comment period ends February 27, 2026. What happens next will reshape American healthcare technology for a generation.
Will deregulation unleash the innovation we desperately need? Or will we discover those 34 requirements existed for a reason?
Maybe both.
♻️ Repost if healthcare innovation requires calculated risks.
👉 Follow me, Jonathan Govette, for real-time updates on healthcare technology and business news. LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathangovette/
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Author:
Jonathan Govette is a seasoned healthcare and technology executive with more than two decades of experience building, scaling, and advising digital health companies. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of Oatmeal Health, an AI-driven Lung Cancer Screening and Diagnostics company focused on expanding access to early detection for underrepresented populations, particularly patients served by Federally Qualified Health Centers and value-based health plans.
With a background in engineering, product development, and strategic partnerships, Jonathan has founded and led multiple health technology ventures across clinical care delivery, regulated medical software, and AI-enabled diagnostics. His work sits at the intersection of medicine, technology, and health equity, with a consistent focus on translating complex clinical problems into scalable, real-world solutions.
Jonathan has spent much of his professional life dedicated to improving outcomes for marginalized and underserved communities. He has designed and implemented frameworks that align clinical quality, reimbursement, and technology to sustainably advance health equity at scale. This mission is deeply personal and informs his leadership philosophy and long-term vision for healthcare transformation.
In addition to his operating experience, Jonathan is an author and long-time writer in the healthcare domain, with over 20 years of published work covering digital health, medical innovation, and healthcare systems. He is a frequent mentor to early-stage founders and regularly advises startups on product strategy, partnerships, and go-to-market execution in regulated healthcare environments.
Before entering industry full-time, Jonathan nearly pursued a career in medicine with an early path toward cardiothoracic surgery, an experience that continues to shape his clinical perspective and respect for frontline care delivery.
CEO | Oatmeal Health | AI Lung Cancer Startup | Engineer | Writer | Almost Became a Doctor (Cardiac Thoracic Surgeon) | 3x Health Tech Founder | Startup Mentor | Follow to share what I’ve learned along the way.
