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On January 19, 2022, the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS) Workplace of the Nationwide Coordinator for Well being Info Expertise (ONC) printed the Trusted Alternate Framework and Widespread Settlement (TEFCA) for well being data trade. The Trusted Alternate Framework established a set of non-binding, foundational rules for belief insurance policies and practices to assist facilitate trade amongst well being data networks (HINs). The Widespread Settlement beneath TEFCA developed the infrastructure mannequin and governing strategy for customers in numerous networks to securely share primary scientific data with one another—all beneath generally agreed-to expectations and guidelines, no matter which community they occur to be in. TEFCA’s primary objective is to encourage interoperability throughout the nation by growing uniform insurance policies and technical necessities to control knowledge sharing and to make sure that all members can entry real-time well being data. For a extra detailed breakdown of the construction and performance of TEFCA see Crowell’s earlier put up.
The event of TEFCA was mandated by the 21st Century Cures Act. In 2019, the ONC issued a Discover of Funding Alternative and finally appointed The Sequoia Mission, Inc. to function the Acknowledged Coordinating Entity (RCE). A couple of yr after the long-awaited TEFCA publication, ONC held an occasion on February 13th, 2023 to acknowledge the primary set of applicant organizations that have been authorized as certified well being data networks (QHINs). The authorized HINs include CommonWell Well being Alliance, eHealth Alternate, Epic TEFCA Interoperability Companies, Well being Gorilla, Kno2, and KONZA Nationwide Community. These six potential QHINs agreed to the identical knowledge sharing infrastructure, which permits them to hook up with each other and allows their members, together with offers, payers, and public well being companies, to trade well being data nationwide. This primary cohort of potential QHINs will bear onboarding over the course of the yr. The ONC plans to announce further QHINs as they’re authorized by the RCE.
Since TEFCA participation is voluntary, the extent of its affect is proscribed by the variety of entities that apply for QHIN designation. With widespread community participation, TEFCA is meant to:
- permit networks to securely share and entry knowledge
- make a core set of knowledge out there for networks beneath the Widespread Settlement
- curtail the necessity for entities to hitch a number of HINs and agreements which can lower prices and enhance effectivity
- create a typical set of privateness and safety necessities for HINs and IT builders to guard affected person knowledge
Crowell Well being Options (CHS) just lately hosted “Trade Views on the Trusted Alternate Framework and Widespread Settlement,” a podcast analyzing the development of data trade governance in our healthcare panorama, the importance and potential affect of TEFCA, the participation of HINs in TEFCA, and the evolution of knowledge sharing and interoperability within the subsequent 10 years. Whereas TEFCA continues to be within the early phases, CHS appears ahead to monitoring the development of the framework and its affect on well being data trade.
To be taught extra about TEFCA, latest actions and future implications hearken to Trade Views on the Trusted Alternate Framework and Widespread Settlement right here.
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