Information Blocking

AI, Semantic Interoperability Top Health IT Trends for Next Year

December 28, 2023 - As the healthcare industry works toward a more connected health IT infrastructure, advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology has emerged as a promising tool to streamline workflows and improve interoperability. According to Stoltenberg Consulting's annual Health IT Industry Outlook survey, 32 percent of hospital and health system CIOs noted AI and machine learning as their...


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ONC Finalizes Rule to Drive Health IT Interoperability, AI Transparency

by Hannah Nelson

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has finalized a rule to support health IT interoperability and artificial intelligence (AI) transparency. The Health...

HHS OIG Releases Final Rule for Information Blocking Penalties

by Hannah Nelson

The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released a final rule establishing the statutory penalties created by the 21st Century Cures Act information blocking requirements. The...

Almost Half of Hospitals Report Instances of Perceived Information Blocking

by Sarai Rodriguez

After the initial enforcement of information blocking rules in April 2021, a considerable 42 percent of hospitals still reported observing what they perceived as information blocking. They reported...

Training, Interoperability Key for Electronic Health Information Sharing

by Hannah Nelson

In a recent ONC provider-focused workshop, participants noted training, technical capacity, and interoperability as the biggest challenges with electronic health information (EHI) sharing. More than...

ONC Outlines Cures Act Information Blocking Reminders for EHI

by Hannah Nelson

The 21st Century Cures Act Final Rule information blocking provisions require healthcare stakeholders to share all electronic health information (EHI) beginning on October 6th, 2022, according to a...

CHIME Leads Request for HHS to Delay Information Blocking Deadline

by Sarai Rodriguez

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and nine other healthcare industry groups have called on HHS to postpone the approaching information blocking compliance deadline,...

The Sequoia Project Issues Final Set of Information Blocking Resources

by Sarai Rodriguez

The Sequoia Project has released the final set of resources to help entities comply with the ONC’s information blocking rules as part of the 21st Century Cures Act. Prior to this month, the...

The Sequoia Project Releases Draft Information Blocking Resources

by Hannah Nelson

The Sequoia Project has released a set of draft resources for public feedback that aim to help entities better comply with the 21st Century Cures Rule information blocking requirements....

Data Segmentation Challenges Impede Pediatric Data Sharing, Confidentiality

by Hannah Nelson

Barriers to pediatric data sharing include data segmentation and technical infeasibility, according to a JAMA Network Open research letter. The Information Blocking Final Rule of the 21st Century...

Guidance Needed on Information Blocking Rule Research Implications

by Hannah Nelson

Federal guidance is needed on information blocking rule implementation for research data sharing, according to a Health Affairs article. While electronic health information (EHI) holds the potential...

Biden 2023 Budget Proposes Advisory Opinions for Information Blocking

by Sarai Rodriguez

In the 2023 budget proposal, the Biden-Harris Administration has requested that Congress provide HHS with the authority to issue a binding advisory opinion for information blocking regulations, ONC...

What Providers Should Know About the ONC Interoperability Rule

by Hannah Nelson

The ONC interoperability rule aims to enhance the exchange of electronic health information (EHI) to benefit patients and clinicians alike. In 2016, Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act to drive the electronic access, exchange, and...

ONC: Most Information Blocking Claims Have Come from Patients

by Hannah Nelson

Patients have submitted the vast majority of information blocking claims since the ONC interoperability rule went into effect in April 2021, according to ONC data. The 21st Century Cures Act prompted...

Tripathi: Cures Act Provisions to Transform Interoperability in 2022

by Hannah Nelson

Key provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act will help transform healthcare interoperability in 2022, according to Micky Tripathi, national coordinator for health IT. In a HealthAffairs article,...

How Data Exchange Laws May Affect Information Blocking Exceptions

by Hannah Nelson

When complying with the information blocking provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act, healthcare organizations must consider the context of other laws surrounding electronic health data exchange,...

Firm Flags EHR Vendor MEDITECH for Potential Information Blocking

by Hannah Nelson

A Georgia law firm has raised federal information blocking concerns regarding EHR vendor MEDITECH, Doctors Hospital of Augusta (DHA), and records staffing firm Ciox Health, according to reporting from...

Delegates Call AMA to Advocate for Provider Info-Blocking Flexibility

by Hannah Nelson

Delegates at the June 2021 Special Meeting of the AMA Delegates called for changes to the ONC information-blocking regulations that would allow providers the discretion to withhold patient data sharing...

Tripathi: Let’s Do Great Things With EHR Systems, Interoperability

by Christopher Jason

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) is maintaining its focus on information blocking, interoperability, and coordination between federal agencies, according to Micky Tripathi,...

HIEs: Information Blocking Common for EHR Vendors, Not Health Orgs

by Hannah Nelson

To give insight into how policy makers can drive adherence to the ONC’s new information blocking rule, the agency released a statement highlighting January survey data that reveals information...