CMS Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule

Read HealthEC’s 3-part series on the CMS Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule.

Part 1 – What are we really talking about?

CMS published the Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule in the Federal Register on March 4, 2019, the pre-publication text of the final rule was released on March 9, 2020, and the final rule was published in the Federal Register on May 1, 2020. The rules are effective as of January 2021 and will be enforced by July 2021.

The overarching goal is to make patient data more useful and transferable through open, secure, standardized, and reduce burdens on healthcare providers. Continue reading…

Part 2 – Making the economics work for you.

Most health care organizations impacted by the Interoperability Rule have very logically focused their attention and resources on interpreting what the new rule requires them to do within their own systems, in what timeframe, and at what cost. And to be sure, scoping the work and deploying the resources required to meet the compliance deadlines is a significant investment of time and money, but the compliance focus should be only the first action step for to the Interoperability Rule. Continue reading…

Part 3 – Where are you going to invest to maximize benefits?

In thinking about the value that can be derived from implementation of the Interoperability Rule, both payers and providers need to ensure their perspective of the rule positions them for long-term success.

The following key points of focus are critical when considering the rule: Continue reading…