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) revealed the Trusted Alternate Framework and Widespread Settlement (TEFCA) for well being data trade. established a set of non-binding, foundational ideas for belief insurance policies and practices to assist facilitate trade amongst well being data networks (HINs). below TEFCA developed the infrastructure mannequin and governing method for customers in several networks to securely share primary medical data with one another—all below generally agreed-to expectations and guidelines, no matter which community they occur to be in. TEFCA’s important aim is to encourage interoperability throughout the nation by growing uniform insurance policies and technical necessities to manage 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 .
The event of TEFCA was mandated by the . In 2019, the ONC issued a Discover of Funding Alternative and finally appointed The Sequoia Challenge, Inc. to function the Acknowledged Coordinating Entity (RCE). A few 12 months after the long-awaited TEFCA publication, on February 13th, 2023 to acknowledge the primary set of applicant organizations that have been authorised as certified well being data networks (QHINs). The authorised HINs include CommonWell Well being Alliance, eHealth Alternate, Epic TEFCA Interoperability Providers, 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 supplies, payers, and public well being businesses, to trade well being data nationwide. This primary cohort of potential QHINs will endure onboarding over the course of the 12 months. The ONC plans to announce extra QHINs as they’re authorised by the RCE.
Since TEFCA participation is voluntary, the extent of 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 information accessible for networks below the Widespread Settlement
- curtail the necessity for entities to affix a number of HINs and agreements which is able to lower prices and enhance effectivity
- create a typical set of privateness and safety necessities for HINs and IT builders to guard affected person knowledge.