ONC launches national health information exchange network

Five Qualified Health Information Networks Dec. 12 began exchanging electronic health information nationwide under the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, a set of common rules for secure exchange of treatment and other health information required by the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology announced. Another two QHINs are working to implement the standards.   

“Collectively, these QHINs have networks that cover most U.S. hospitals and tens of thousands of providers; they process billions of annual transactions across all 50 states,” officials explain  at Health Affairs Forefront. “With these QHINs working together under TEFCA, their users will now be able to connect with each other, regardless of which network they’re in.” 

The QHINs early next year expect to adopt Common Agreement Version 2.0, which will require support for the Health Level Seven Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources standard.