We are now nearing the 20 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 was then born our of the MACRA legislation. And then information sharing from the CURES Act. And now the release of Trusted Exchange Framework and the Common Agreement (TEFCA). 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
HTI-2 Proposed Rule Released for Public Comment
HHS through the ONC released the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2) proposed rule for public comment. The HTI-2 proposed rule reflects ONC’s focused efforts to advance interoperability and improve information sharing among patients, providers, payers, and public health authorities.
Inovalon and MEDITECH Collaborate to Transform and Optimize Revenue Cycle
Inovalon, a provider of cloud-based software solutions empowering data-driven healthcare, announced a new partnership with the MEDITECH Alliance, an ecosystem of partner organizations with successfully proven and interoperable solutions with MEDITECH, a global electronic health record (EHR) provider.
KONZA National Network Announces Launch of Birth Connect
KONZA National Network, a non-profit Health Information Exchange (HIE) and Designated Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN™), announced the launch of Birth Connect to provide timely alerts to OB/GYNs that a birth parent under their care has delivered a baby.
Innovators Convene at Epic’s Inaugural European Group Meeting to Address Global Healthcare Challenges
Experts from leading healthcare and medical research organisations came together at Epic’s first European Group Meeting (EGM) in Bristol, UK. Participants showcased innovations that have delivered real-world improvements in areas such as quality of care, patient experience, clinician well-being, population health, and operational efficiency.
408 KONZA-Powered Sites Achieve and/or Maintain Validated Data Stream Designation in NCQA Data Aggregator Validation Program
KONZA National Network is pleased to announce its seventh cohort has earned the Validated Data Stream designation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Data Aggregator Validation (DAV) program. This achievement highlights KONZA’s dedication to delivering high-quality, accurate and reliable clinical data.
Netsmart TheraOffice® Achieves ONC Certification for Enhanced Physical Therapy EMR and Practice Management
Netsmart, a provider of healthcare technology solutions and services for community-based providers, announced that the TheraOffice® electronic medical record (EMR) and practice management software has earned the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) Certification.
NextGen Healthcare Expands Capabilities of NextGen® Ambient Assist and Introduces Tailored Solution for Small Practices, NextGen® Office Ambient Assist
Artificial intelligence (AI) can now be meaningfully leveraged by more healthcare providers than ever before as NextGen Healthcare expands the capabilities of its AI-driven ambient listening technology for mid-sized and large enterprises, NextGen® Ambient Assist, and introduces NextGen® Office Ambient Assist, a tailored solution for small practices.
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.
Just Released! Civitas Networks for Health 2024 Annual Conference Agenda
Civitas is pleased to announce that the agenda for the 2024 Annual Conference, in collaboration with Upper Midwest Region Members, is now available! We want to give a big thank you to the Civitas members who participated in this year’s Annual Conference Proposal Selection Committee; with over 150 proposals to review, this group went above and beyond to support the development of a fantastic agenda.
Civitas Networks for Health Community Excellence Awards
The time has come to celebrate remarkable individuals and organizations making positive contributions in their communities through the annual Civitas Networks for Health Community Excellence Awards! Mark your calendars: nominations will be accepted starting Monday, July 8, through Friday, August 9, at 5:00 PM ET. They invite you to visit their conference website for the full details of the available awards and the nomination process. The awards ceremony will take place on the first day of the annual conference at 5:00 PM ET, Tuesday, October 15, before the InterSystems Platinum Sponsor Reception. They hope you will join them in recognizing our industry peers’ and organizations’ outstanding service and achievements.
Collaboratives in Action: Building on Existing Infrastructure to Further Health Related Social Needs Screening
Civitas hosts quarterly Collaboratives in Action events focused on showcasing important industry data-driven, multi-stakeholder collaborations and initiatives. These educational webinars provide opportunities for sharing best practices, lessons learned, and practical insights into solutions. Here is a summary and resources from the May 23rd Collaboratives in Action event.
State HIE News
LANES and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Agree to Exchange Data to Improve Patient Care
Los Angeles Network for Enhanced Services (LANES), the first and only regional qualified health information organization (QHIO) for the greater Los Angeles area, announced a new partnership agreement with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) to help support the hospital’s mission to create hope and build healthier futures.
Hixny and Healthy Alliance Partner to Integrate Clinical and Social Care
To continue its work toward improving population health, Hixny has partnered with Healthy Alliance (Alliance for Better Health and its affiliates) to offer clinical providers an easy way to get help for their patients with social needs, such as benefits navigation or food insecurity.
Hires and Openings
Civitas Networks for Health
Civitas Networks for Health is seeking a part-time Salesforce Developer and Administrator Contractor to design, develop, and maintain Salesforce solutions tailored to meet our specific business requirements. Civitas is a national nonprofit member- and mission-driven organization that supports local collaboratives in transforming healthcare operations through secure data exchange and multi-stakeholder health improvement initiatives.
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. They currently have an opening for a Chief Legal Officer & Privacy Officer.
Delaware Health Information Network
Maestro Strategies is assisting DHIN (Delaware Health Information Network), in the recruitment of a key Director, Data Engineer to join their leadership team. This is an exceptional opportunity with one of the leading Health Information Exchanges in the country that, since 2007, has provided data at the point of care in order to enable providers to deliver high-quality, cost-efficient care.
Health Gorilla
Health Gorilla aspires to cut through the noise and disrupt the healthcare information technology space – making interoperability possible and ensuring access for developers, providers, and patients. Join them in their quest to improve patient and physician satisfaction, care delivery, clinical and operational outcomes, and health equity. View all their current job openings.
eHealth Exchange
Active in all 50 states, the eHealth Exchange is the largest query-based, health information network in the country. It is the principal network that connects federal agencies and non-federal organizations, allowing them to work together to improve patient care and public health. They have an open position for:
- eHealth Exchange In-house Legal Counsel
Reports to: President
FLSA Status: Exempt, Full Time
Supervisory Responsibility: N/A
KONZA
KONZA is seeking an Information Security Analyst. The KONZA Information Security Analyst plays an important role in the success of KONZA and its partners. KONZA is a fast-paced, energetic environment. This position is responsible for providing security, informational, and quality support. In addition, this position monitors and escalates system risks and executes HITRUST standards across normal operations.
New York eHealth Collaborative
New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) is a not-for-profit organization working in partnership with the New York State Department of Health to improve healthcare by collaboratively leading, connecting, and integrating health information exchange across the State. They are currently seeking the following positions:
Upcoming Events
eHealth Exchange
When: Tuesday, August 13, 2024 3:30 – 4:30pm ET
Register for this event.
eHealth Exchange: TEFCA Technical Webinar – This webinar provides a monthly update on TEFCA technical specifications and updates with eHealth Exchange as a Designated QHIN. Many HIEs have already indicated their plans to join eHealth Exchange QHIN. Use this webinar as an opportunity to learn more about TEFCA-based exchange.
RCE Monthly Informational Call
When: Tuesday, August 20, 2024 12:00 – 1:00 pm ET
Register for this event.
The Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE) hosts a public informational call as an opportunity to share information about the progress to-date on the third Tuesday of each month. View previous calls.
2024 Alaska Health Information Exchange Summit
When: Thursday, August 29, 2024 9:00 – 3:00pm ET
Where: The Lakefront Anchorage, Anchorage, AK & Virtual
Register for this event.
Join healthEconnect Alaska in person or online for the 2024 Alaska Health Information Exchange Summit on August 29. Engage with keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking opportunities as we explore Alaska’s vision for and national perspectives on interoperability, health data governance, and social drivers of health. Hear real-world examples of interoperability among Alaska’s providers, contributing firsthand to the dialogue shaping our state’s healthcare landscape.
WISHIN Summit 2024
When: Thursday, September 5th, 2024
Where: Wilderness Resort and Conference Center, Wisconsin Dells, WI
Event Page
Register for this event.
This one-day conference will be filled with informative sessions on how WISHIN connects organizations to provide the best possible patient care through improved health information exchange.
2024 DirectTrust Annual Conference
When: September 22-25, 2024
Where: St. Louis Hilton at the Ballpark, St. Louis, Missouri
Event Page
Registration now open.
Hashtag: #DirectTrust2024
DirectTrust is proud to announce their 2024 Conference, themed “The Future of Trust in Health.” Set against the backdrop of St. Louis, Missouri, from September 22-25th, this event is dedicated to exploring and constructively bridging the tensions between usability, privacy, security, identity, and collaboration within the interconnected health ecosystem. Meet the Keynote Speakers: Micky Tripathi, Susannah Fox, and Greg Garcia.
Civitas Networks for Health 2024 Annual Conference
When: October 15-17, 2024
Where: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, Detroit MI
Event Page
Register for this event.
Hashtag: #Civitas2024
Join Civitas Networks for Health for their 2024 Annual Conference –”Bridging Data and Doing”. This year’s conference aims to continue the valuable conversations and initiatives spurred by last year’s gathering in Maryland, focusing on the latest developments in health data sharing, community health, social determinants of health, health equity, and more.
eHealth Exchange Annual Meeting
When: December 10, 2024
Where: Embassy Suites by Hilton, Nashville TN
Event Page
Register for this event.
It is that time of year again, time for them to share this year’s accomplishments with their eHealth Exchange participants. This year they are traveling to beautiful Nashville, TN. This years meeting topics and presentations will be partially based on feedback received from last years Annual Meeting Survey.
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.
Designated QHINs as of February 2024
Interoperability Market
According to Allied Market Research, the healthcare interoperability solutions market size was valued at $5,320.0 million in 2020, and is expected to reach $21,544.6 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 14.9% from 2021 to 2030. Interoperability in healthcare refers to timely and secure access, integration and use of electronic health data so that it can be used to optimize health outcomes for individuals and populations. As populations around the world age and people live longer, interoperability and data sharing are going to become increasingly critical for delivering effective healthcare. Interoperability is the ability of two or more systems to exchange health information and use the information once it is received.
According to the report published by Fior Markets, the global healthcare data interoperability market is expected to grow from USD 2.83 billion in 2020 and to reach USD 5.80 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 9.38% during the forecast period 2021-2028. The primary reasons driving healthcare interoperability market growth include a growing focus on patient care, a growing need to tighten healthcare costs, and government measures to improve patient experience of treatment. System interoperability, information interchange, and data availability are all important factors in improving health outcomes. Individual health data is mobilized throughout the whole range of care providers in health organizations, enabling coordinated, safe, and high-quality treatment that supports payment reforms, transparency efforts, and individuals’ ability to control their health.