Robert Kolodner, chief health informatics officer at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, will take over the position that has been vacant since David Brailer resigned in April.

Kolodner joins HHS when it is "making steady progress in advancing the president's health IT initiative," said Mike Leavitt, secretary of the HHS. Kolodner has been involved with the oversight and development of the VA's electronic health systems.

The national coordinator is charged with establishing the infrastructure needed to support President Bush's mandate that every American have an electronic health record by 2014.