We are now well past the 21 year mark in our quest for healthcare interoperability. Under an executive order from president G W Bush (April 2004), the ONC was established and Dr. David Brailer was dubbed “America’s first Health Information Czar.” The Meaningful Use program was then born out of the HITECH Act and Merit-Based Incentive Payment System out of the MACRA legislation. And then information sharing from the CURES Act. And then the release of Trusted Exchange Framework and the Common Agreement (TEFCA). And now the CMS Interoperability Framework. All trying to move our healthcare system to the digital age, better outcomes, controlling and reducing costs, and patient access to their health data. It has not been an easy road and the debate of the journey will never end.
Industry and Contract News
The Sequoia Project Releases Draft of Workgroup-Developed Best Practices for Providers Aimed at Simplifying Patient Access to Health Data
The Sequoia Project, a non-profit focused on advancing healthcare interoperability, released for public comment a draft set of best practices for reducing barriers to patient access to health data. The draft document, Simplifying Data Access for Better Patient Experience: Best Practices and Implementation Toolkit for Providers, includes an implementation toolkit to help guide providers and make it easier for patients to access their health data. The Sequoia Project seeks public feedback on the draft through April 2, 2026.
DirectTrust® Seeks Nominations for New Board Directors
DirectTrust®, a non-profit healthcare industry alliance focused on furthering trust in healthcare technology and data exchange through standards, accreditation, and other services, announced a call for nominations for new Board Directors. A volunteer position, DirectTrust’s Board of Directors supports the work of the organization with mission-based leadership and strategic governance. Nominations will be accepted through March 20, 2026.
Health Gorilla Releases Statement in Response to Epic Lawsuit
Health Gorilla, Inc., a provider of healthcare interoperability access, released a statement in response to the lawsuit filed by Epic Systems Corporation and several affiliated healthcare providers.
Advanced Health Selects 1upHealth to Lead Interoperability Initiatives
1upHealth, a provider of health data interoperability, announced that Advanced Health, a Coordinated Care Organization in Oregon, will leverage the company’s comprehensive solution suite to achieve CMS-0057 compliance while also supporting broader programs like care coordination that require easy access to comprehensive and timely health data.
Kno2 Announces Rollout of CLEAR1 as Core Network Infrastructure
Kno2®, a healthcare communication network and federally designated Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN), announced the integration of CLEAR1, CLEAR’s secure identity platform, into the Kno2 Communication Network. The initiative positions identity as shared infrastructure within the Kno2 Communication Network. The integration will strengthen trust, security, and participation across national healthcare exchange. It serves as the first of a multi-phased rollout for CLEAR1 across a network of varied participants.
KONZA Health and The SSI Group Introduce QM Optimizer Elite℠ to Simplify Digital Quality Measurement and Improve Value-Based Care Performance
KONZA Health, in collaboration with The SSI Group, announced the launch of Quality Measure Optimizer Elite (QM Optimizer Elite℠), a nationwide digital quality measurement solution designed to reduce reporting burden and improve performance for providers operating in value-based care arrangements.
eClinicalWorks and Sunoh.ai Boost Provider Efficiency by 15% at Southeast Alabama Rural Health Associates
eClinicalWorks®, the largest ambulatory cloud EHR, announced that Southeast Alabama Rural Health Associates, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) based in Alabama, is using Sunoh.ai, the AI-powered medical scribe, within its practice to transform clinical documentation and enhance patient care. This AI-powered medical scribe has significantly improved workflow efficiency, allowing providers to prioritize urgent care visits.
The Sequoia Project Publishes Guidance on Standardized Privacy & Consent Approaches for State Government and Health Care Organizations
The Sequoia Project, the non-profit that is leading nationwide health information sharing initiatives, published Guidance to States: Legislating Technical Standard Definitions for Existing State-Sensitive Health Data Laws and Operationalizing Automated Consent: Actionable Guidance for Health Care Providers, Payors, and Other Health Care Organizations. These pragmatic guides for industry and government are a follow-up to the non-profit’s Moving Toward Computable Consent: A Landscape Review, a whitepaper published in April 2025 that identifies current challenges to collecting, managing, and honoring patient consent in electronic health information exchange.
Spotlight on Community Networks
The Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement (NRHI) and the Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative (SHIEC) announced a formal affiliation between the two organizations to form a new organization named Civitas Networks for Health. The organization serves as a platform for local nonprofit health collaboratives and health information exchanges to grow and thrive. Read their latest news. Follow them @civitas4health.
Civitas2026 Annual Conference Sponsorship Prospectus Now Available
They are pleased to share that the 2026 Civitas Annual Conference Sponsorship Prospectus is now available! The Civitas Annual Conference brings together leaders from across the health data and health improvement ecosystem—including Health Information Exchanges (HIEs), Health Data Utilities (HDUs), Community Information Exchanges (CIEs), Regional Health Improvement Collaboratives (RHICs), public health organizations, quality improvement organizations, policymakers, and national partners, to advance collaboration and real-world implementation.
Introducing the First-Ever Civitas Networks for Health® Impact Report
They are proud to share the first-ever Civitas Networks for Health® Impact Report, highlighting the collective progress, growth, and real-world impact of our national networks.
Since their founding in 2021, Civitas has been built on a simple but powerful belief: local implementation, grounded in trusted relationships and strong data, drives national health improvement. In just a few years, that belief has grown into a network of more than 160 mission-driven organizations working across states and communities to strengthen health data exchange, collaboration, and decision-making.
State HIE News
WISHIN Connects with PointClickCare
The Wisconsin Statewide Health Information Network, Inc. (WISHIN) announced a strategic partnership with PointClickCare (PCC), a leading healthcare technology company, to improve the continuity of care for Wisconsin’s long-term care and post-acute patients (LTPAC) as they transition between acute and post-acute facilities. This ensures that providers and payers on a patient’s care team are well-informed.
GaHIN and LifeSouth Turn Blood Data into a Lifesaving Statewide Asset
The Georgia Health Information Network (GaHIN) and LifeSouth Community Blood Centers have launched a first-of-its-kind statewide integration that connects LifeSouth’s RBC antigen and antibody data directly into Georgia’s health information exchange (HIE).
Hires and Openings
Isabell M. Pacheco, DSc, FACHE appointed as CEO and Executive Director of MiHIN
MiHIN is pleased to announce that Dr. Isabell Pacheco, DSc, FACHE, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of MiHIN. Having served in senior executive leadership roles since 2021, Dr. Pacheco brings deep institutional knowledge and a clear vision for strengthening interoperability, advancing statewide collaboration, and supporting a more connected and equitable health care system.
Laura Young Takes on Role of Executive Director of Converge Health Iowa
Laura Young has taken on the role of Executive Director of Converge Health Iowa, alongside her ongoing work as Managing Director of Converge Health. This role reflects an expansion of the work they’ve been doing nationally to support last mile interoperability, with a focused commitment to advancing Iowa’s statewide health information exchange. She is looking forward to continuing to partner with states, communities, and organizations working to modernize data sharing in service of whole person care.
CIVHC (Center for Improving Value in Health Care)
The Center for Improving Value in Health Care (CIVHC) is an independent non-profit that equips partners and communities in Colorado and across the nation with the resources, services and unbiased data needed to improve health and health care. As the designated administrator of Colorado’s All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD), CIVHC oversees the collection of health care claims from Colorado’s public and private health care insurers and uses that information to promote price transparency, inform policy, advance health equity, conduct research, and much more. Check out their Current Openings.
Contexture
Contexture is a nonprofit organization that provides strategic, technical and administrative support to communities committed to advancing health through information sharing. As the leading health information exchange for Arizona and Colorado, Contexture is the largest health information organization in the western region. Check out their current openings.
healthEconnect Alaska
Hiring: Healthcare Engagement Specialist – healthEconnect Alaska is seeking an experienced healthcare professional who thrives on building relationships, supporting others, and driving healthcare efficiency. If you have at least five years of professional healthcare experience, a strong understanding of healthcare workflows, and a passion for whole-person care, they want to hear from you. View more information about the position.
HealthInfoNet
From the mountains to the coast, HealthInfoNet’s health information services are used by clinical and community providers to inform the care they provide to their communities. Their guiding principle is to endlessly craft better, easier, and safer solutions to facilitate improvements in health outcomes, risks, conditions, and drivers. They have the following openings:
Delaware Health Information Network
Delaware Health Information Network (DHIN) was the first live, statewide health information exchange in the nation. Launched in 2007, today it serves all of Delaware’s acute care hospitals and nearly 100% of the state’s medical providers. More than 14 million clinical results and reports are delivered through DHIN each year. There are over three million unique patients with results on DHIN, including patients from all 50 states. DHIN shares real-time clinical information to improve patient outcomes, eliminate the duplication of services and reduce the cost of healthcare. Check out their current opening for Information Security Analyst.
Upcoming Events
Civitas Annual Conference
When: September 22-24, 2026
Where: Crystal City VA
Event Page
Register coming soon.
Hashtag: #Civitas2026
They are pleased to share that the 2026 Civitas Annual Conference Sponsorship Prospectus is now available! The Civitas Annual Conference brings together leaders from across the health data and health improvement ecosystem—including Health Information Exchanges (HIEs), Health Data Utilities (HDUs), Community Information Exchanges (CIEs), Regional Health Improvement Collaboratives (RHICs), public health organizations, quality improvement organizations, policymakers, and national partners—to advance collaboration and real-world implementation.
ONC's Cures Act Final Rule
In May of 2020 the 21st Century Cures Act: Interoperability, Information Blocking, and the ONC Health IT Certification Program released by the ONC and published in the Federal Register.
The TEFCA Players
ONC Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE)
The Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE) – The Sequoia Project (@sequoiaproject)is responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining the Common Agreement component of the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA). The Common Agreement is the baseline technical and legal requirements for health information networks to share electronic health information and is part of the 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act).
In addition they will collaborate with ONC to designate and monitor Qualified Health Information Networks (QHIN), modify and update an accompanying QHIN Technical Framework, engage with stakeholders through virtual public listening sessions, adjudicate noncompliance with the Common Agreement, and propose sustainability strategies to support TEFCA beyond the cooperative agreement’s period of performance.
On August 28, 2023, the ONC awarded The Sequoia Project 5-Year TEFCA RCE Contract to continue their services.
RCE Resource Library – which includes a guide to the Common Agreement, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), technical documents, and other resources that make up TEFCA’s rules of the road. Start your journey to next generation interoperability here.
The Sequoia Project and Carequality Annual Meeting 2025
See keynote from CMS DOGE & ASTP Keynote ( Welcome & CMS DOGE & ASTP Keynote | Sequoia & CEQ Annual Meeting 2025 ), trusted exchange (Putting the Trust in Trusted Exchange | Sequoia & CEQ Annual Meeting 2025), CMS-Aligned Networks (CMS Aligned Networks | Sequoia & Carequality 2025 Annual Meeting),and more sessions, speakers and topics.
To review all of the recordings post event and see what everyone is talking about:
- Videos here and scroll down: The Sequoia Project
Designated QHINs as of February 2024
Candidate QHINs
Organizations that have completed the Qualified Health Information Network® (QHIN™) application and have been accepted into the project planning and testing phase of the on boarding and designation process.
Interoperability Market
According to research by Grand View Research, the global healthcare interoperability solutions market size was estimated at USD 3.42 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.15% from 2024 to 2030. An increase in the adoption of interoperability solutions by healthcare authorities, a rise in investments to enhance healthcare facilities, favorable government initiatives to improve patient care, high government funding, and a focus on patient-centric care are some major factors propelling the market growth. In February 2023, the federal government provided USD 505 million to federal data partners and Canada Health Infoway to advance digital health tools and an interoperability roadmap. Thus, the rising investments and funding from government bodies are anticipated to drive the industry growth.