By Jim Tate, EMR Advocate
Twitter: @jimtate, eMail: jimtate@emradvocate.com
Host of The Tate Chronicles – #TateDispatches
On Monday, February 13, the initial wave of six approved Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs) under the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) was announced by The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The QHINs are expected to become the backbone of the long sought holy grail of widespread data interoperability. A provider connected to one QHIN can send a query for data and that request seamlessly goes out to all the other QHINs to locate and retrieve data. At least that is the way it is supposed to work.
The process to become a designated QHIN is a long and arduous journey, not for the faint of heart. Approval for an organization to move forward only comes after rigorous due diligence and only then begins the testing and onboarding process. If that is successful, they will receive the QHIN designation. Those organizations that receive approval have agreed to the terms and conditions of clearly defined TEFCA operating procedures, including a condition of a 12 month go live timeline.
So here they are. Let the cheering commence for a job well done to reach this goal.
- CommonWell Health Alliance
- eHealth Exchange
- Epic TEFCA Interoperability Services
- Health Gorilla
- Kno2
- KONZA
Under an agreement with ONC, The Sequoia Project is the Recognized Coordinating Entity for TEFCA. More information about TEFCA is available at their website.