HHS released their new strategy for accelerating health information exchange to support delivery and payment. Previously ONC and CMS released a Request for Information (RFI) on how HHS can advance interoperability and exchange. Over 200 RFI submissions from providers, payers, state-based associations and organization, and consumers were submitted.
From the information received, HHS developed the report “Strategy and Principles to Accelerate HIE” that highlights HHS policy goals and ways to advance.
The principles and strategies include:
- HHS needs to develop new HHS regulations and guidance on existing programs to enable a patient’s health information to follow them wherever they need to access care utilizing privacy and security safeguards
- HHS programs need to advance HIE across providers including long term and post-acute care, behavioral health, and laboratory providers
- HHS needs to advance multi-stakeholder development of standards including an interoperability and certification road map to serve as a transparent planning tool that will guide standards development, adoption, and HIT certification
- HHS needs to build upon and move beyond the foundation of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs and the ONC HIT Certification Program
- HHS needs to work to align HIT standards for quality measurement and improvement across Medicare and Medicaid
- HHS needs to implement policies to encourage electronic HIE incrementally and evolve from an incentive and reward structure to electronic HIE as a standard business practice for provider.
Go to www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/aqcceleratinghieprinciples to view the report.