After seeing skyrocketing demand across government agencies, GSA decided to prioritize Health IT as its own category within Schedule 70 by establishing Health IT SIN 132-56. The new SIN was officially established in the summer of 2016.

Health Information Technology is one of the fastest-growing fields in the IT industry, and for good reason. Between healthcare’s rapid growth and a spurt of government technology modernization initiatives, Health IT has emerged with an impressive annual growth rate of over 7 percent.

The new SIN category will give companies access to business with government agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Defense Health Agency. As military and civilian healthcare reforms take effect, GSA expects these agencies’ demand to continue to grow.

GSA’s new Health IT SIN is a key step towards integrating technology into federal health services. Photo courtesy of Helge V. Keltel via Flickr.

Why create a Health IT SIN?

Part of the justification for having a separate category is that Health IT is different. If your company is involved in the healthcare IT industry, you already know that it requires specific skillsets. The Health IT SIN will encompass a number of healthcare specialties, including: “connected health, electronic health records, health information exchanges, health analytics, personal health information management, innovative Health IT solutions, health informatics, emerging Health IT research, and other Health IT services.”

Companies listed under SIN 132 56 will have to comply with various healthcare security standards, including:

• Privacy Act of 1974
• HITECH Act
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Because the requirements of healthcare-providing agencies are so specific, GSA wants to let pre-vetted companies stand out to potential customers. This is an unparalleled opportunity to market your business to interested agencies. If your business specializes in Health IT and you haven’t yet gotten onto SIN 132-56, now is the time to start.

If you’re already on Schedule 70, you’ll simply need to request a modification. If you’re not, you’ll need to submit an offer. For more information on how to get your business on the GSA Schedule, visit their Interact website.

Don’t forget to view our full GovCon News section for more intel.

Published by Libby Solomon on October 28, 2016