Epic Nexus, an Epic Systems initiative and a TEFCA Qualified Health Information Network, has connected 625 hospitals to the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA).
TEFCA, authorized by the 21st Century Cures Act, aims to establish universal interoperability by creating a standardized, secure system for exchanging electronic health information across the U.S. Epic Nexus joined the federal framework in December 2023.
The framework aims to address a gap in healthcare interoperability. Prior to TEFCA, an estimated 30% of U.S. hospitals — many in rural or underserved communities — faced barriers in exchanging electronic health information. TEFCA's universal "on-ramp" is designed to bridge this divide, according to a Dec. 16 news release.
"TEFCA helps MetroHealth and other health systems improve patient care nationwide by providing access to a larger breadth and depth of patient electronic health information," said David Kaelber, MD, PhD, chief health informatics officer at Cleveland-based MetroHealth. "This fosters a more holistic understanding of patients' needs and improves care coordination."
Currently, 100% of U.S. health systems using Epic's software are interoperable.