ONC’s Trusted Trade Framework and Widespread Settlement (TEFCA) Publicizes First Cohort of Individuals

On January 19, 2022, the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers (HHS) Workplace of the Nationwide Coordinator for Well being Data Know-how (ONC) printed the Trusted Trade Framework and Widespread Settlement (TEFCA) for well being info alternate. The Trusted Exchange Framework established a set of non-binding, foundational ideas for belief insurance policies and practices to assist facilitate alternate amongst well being info networks (HINs). The Common Agreement below TEFCA developed the infrastructure mannequin and governing strategy for customers in numerous networks to securely share primary scientific info with one another—all below generally agreed-to expectations and guidelines, no matter which community they occur to be in. TEFCA’s foremost purpose is to encourage interoperability throughout the nation by creating uniform insurance policies and technical necessities to control information sharing and to make sure that all members can entry real-time well being info. For a extra detailed breakdown of the construction and performance of TEFCA see Crowell’s earlier post.

The event of TEFCA was mandated by the 21^st Century Cures Act. In 2019, the ONC issued a Discover of Funding Alternative and finally appointed The Sequoia Venture, Inc. to function the Acknowledged Coordinating Entity (RCE). A few yr after the long-awaited TEFCA publication, ONC held an event on February 13^th2023 to acknowledge the primary set of applicant organizations that had been authorized as certified well being info networks (QHINs). The authorized HINs encompass CommonWell Well being Alliance, eHealth Trade, Epic TEFCA Interoperability Providers, Well being Gorilla, Kno2, and KONZA Nationwide Community. These six potential QHINs agreed to the identical information sharing infrastructure, which permits them to hook up with each other and allows their members, together with offers, payers, and public well being businesses, to alternate well being info nationwide. This primary cohort of potential QHINs will endure 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 impact 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 information
• make a core set of information out there for networks below the Widespread Settlement
• curtail the necessity for entities to hitch a number of HINs and agreements which is able to lower prices and enhance effectivity
• create a standard set of privateness and safety necessities for HINs and IT builders to guard affected person information

To be taught extra about TEFCA, latest actions and future implications take heed to Business Views on the Trusted Trade Framework and Widespread Settlement here.