Becoming Compliant on HHS’ Information Blocking Rule
On Monday, the federal information blocking rule set by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officially went into effect.
According to the HHS, information blocking is a practice by a healthcare professional or healthcare system that is likely to interfere with access, exchange, or use of electronic health information (EHI).
As highlighted in this recent Fierce Healthcare article, the ruling requires health IT vendors, providers and HIEs to enable patients to access and download their health records with third-party apps. Under the rule, providers can't inhibit the access, exchange or use of health information unless the data falls within eight exceptions.
Though, ensuring compliance may be easier said than done. According to this recent MedCity News article, the biggest challenge is the scope of the information blocking rule and all the data that could fall into its framework, as highlighted in discussions at the recent virtual 2021 ONC Annual Meeting.
On the other hand, providers are more concerned with the various scenarios that could be considered information blocking – especially when it comes to sharing patient data between other hospitals and providers.
Last August, we hosted a RosettaHealth podcast interview with Mariann Yeager, CEO of The Sequoia Project, who discussed her organization’s new information blocking boot camp and resources, which help health IT organizations to become compliant.
Specifically, The Sequoia Project is offering, through its boot camp, an in-depth study of the rules and practical steps to develop and implement effective implementation plans and compliance measures.
The organization is also offering an Information Blocking Compliance Resource Center that features dozens of free tools, checklists, reports and webinars from The Sequoia Project and its partners.
While the deadline for compliance has already passed, there is still much that HIT developers, EHR vendors, and providers can do to continually achieve information blocking compliance.
It’s always good to remember that the ultimate goal of this effort is to boost the exchange of health data in ways that empowers patients and enhances overall care quality.
RosettaHealth can assist with any health information challenges you might have, book a free consultation with one of our interoperability experts.