The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT is currently leading extensive efforts to get patients to support physicians' use of electronic health records. Officials recently announced a new step in that direction.

At a Town Hall Meeting on Consumer Engagement held at the recent mHealth Summit, ONC officials revealed that they have contracted with a Hollywood production company to develop new public service announcements trumpeting the benefits of EHRs, according to Healthcare IT News.

Lygeia Ricciardi, who made the announcement, said that the move is part of the ONC's efforts to change the way patients interact with their healthcare providers and get them more involved in their own care. EHRs may offer an avenue for accomplishing this.

"A lot of what we're trying to do in shifting attitudes is to make things personal, not just sharing the facts but telling stories, putting the 'I in health IT'," she told the news source.

In recent months the ONC has put patient engagement at the center of its efforts. In October officials announced a $1.4 million initiative to study some of the ways EHRs can be used to make health data more accessible to patients and educate individuals about these benefits, according to Health Leaders Media.