New Virtual Training Program and Free Public Resource Center Unveiled
The Sequoia Project (@sequoiaproject), a non-profit dedicated to solving health IT interoperability for the public good, launched new resources and training for the healthcare and health IT communities preparing for the November 2, 2020 deadline to comply with U.S. Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) information blocking and interoperability rules. The program includes a 13-week Information Blocking Compliance Boot Camp and a free public resource center.
In 2018-2019, ONC issued drafts and proposed rules to implement the Cures Act. The information blocking aspects of the rules were finalized in March 2020 and dramatically reshaped the U.S. interoperability landscape, enabling broader access to data by patients, their designees and providers while creating sweeping new compliance requirements across the U.S. healthcare system. This also provides competitive opportunities for innovative healthcare organizations and health IT developers. Compliance for the information blocking provisions of the ONC Interoperability Final Rule for all actors (including developers of certified health IT, health information exchanges, health information networks and providers) is required by November 2, 2020.
The new, web-based Information Blocking Compliance Resource Center features dozens of free tools, checklists, reports and webinars from The Sequoia Project and its partners.
The Sequoia Project’s Information Blocking Compliance Boot Camp will provide an in-depth study of the rules and practical steps to develop and implement effective implementation plans and compliance measures. The boot camp will consist of 13 weeks of virtual meetings, alternating weekly between 120-minute interactive classroom lectures and discussions, and 60-minute open office hours with subject matter experts for student-initiated discussion. All participants will also receive the exclusive boot camp toolkit, including practical tools for implementation and compliance. The boot camp provides the opportunity for participants to engage each other in discussing the information blocking rule and compliance.
Beginning on August 26, 2020, the boot camp is free for full members of The Sequoia Project (with discount code), and $3,750 per organization, regardless of number of staff attending, for associate members and non-members.
“In this unique time of the pandemic, we know our members and the rest of the healthcare community are stretched thin,” said Mariann Yeager, CEO of The Sequoia Project. “We hope these free tools and value-priced training program will outline practical, implementation-focused steps to preparing to meet the November 2nd compliance deadline.”
About The Sequoia Project
The Sequoia Project is a non-profit, 501c3, public-private collaborative chartered to advance implementation of secure, interoperable nationwide health information exchange. The Sequoia Project focuses on solving real-world interoperability challenges, and brings together public and private stakeholders in forums like the Interoperability Matters cooperative to overcome barriers. Sequoia also supports multiple, independently governed interoperability initiatives, such as the Patient Unified Lookup Service for Emergencies (PULSE), a system used by disaster healthcare volunteers to treat individuals injured or displaced by disasters. The Sequoia Project is also the Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE) for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT’s Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), for which it will develop, implement, and maintain the Common Agreement component of TEFCA and operationalize the Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN) designation and monitoring process.