Ten healthcare organizations are asking HHS to give healthcare providers an additional year to comply with information-sharing regulations in the 21st Century Cures Act.
The 21st Century Cures Act prohibits healthcare organizations from using information-blocking practices and mandates that they be able to share all electronic protected health information. The deadline to comply with these regulations is Oct. 6, according to the Sept. 26 letter sent to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.
The healthcare organizations cite feedback from their vendors, lack of technological infrastructure and confusion on what constitutes electronic health information as reasons for the postponement.
"They are making every feasible effort, many with scarce resources, to ensure that they are prepared to be in compliance — from both a vendor readiness standpoint, as well as from a comprehension standpoint. The below organizations and their members understand and strongly support patients' need to access their information in a digital format," the Sept. 26 letter said. "Despite our best efforts to educate our members, significant knowledge gaps and confusion still exist within the provider and vendors communities with respect to implementation and enforcement of information blocking regulations."
Read the full letter here. `