The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, alongside its recognized coordinating entity, The Sequoia Project, published the Trusted Exchange Framework and the Common Agreement, which outlines the requirements for nationwide information-sharing for healthcare organizations.
The publication of TEFCA fulfills a requirement in the 21st Century Cures Act passed in 2016. The Trusted Exchange Framework establishes health information exchange principles, and the Common Agreement serves to establish a strategy on how to support and govern data exchange and technical infrastructure, according to a Jan. 18 press release.
The Common Agreement allows health information networks, ambulatory practices, hospitals, health centers, federal regulation agencies and payers to use interoperability framework to gain improved access to health information.
- Healthcare organizations can also apply to be Qualified Health Information Networks, which will connect to one another and exchange health information nationwide.