The public comment period for HHS' ONC's draft Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, which addressed ways of achieving a single pathway to interoperability, closed Feb. 18.
TEFCA aims to create a partnership among health information networks to foster a better sharing of patient information.
Here is how seven healthcare groups responded, as reported by Politico Morning eHealth newsletter Feb. 21.
1. American Medical Association. The AMA said it wasn't clear whether the framework would meet the agency's goals. It expressed concern with a lack of frequent, rigorous EHRs testing on seamless data exchange and the lack of an information blocking guidance.
2. American Medical Informatics Association. The AMIA proposed the ONC establish a three-year implementation plan, and discussed potential negative consequences with the bulk transfer of data, according to a Feb. 22 Politico Morning eHealth newsletter.
3. College of Health Information Management Executives. CHIME is concerned with the timeline of a TEFCA rollout. It also points out that its members could be labelled data blockers if they don't join and that lax stands on networks' bulk data queries could put stress on bandwidth.
4. Pew Charitable Trusts. Pew argues ONC could have improved data matching more by ensuring more data could be integrated into TEFCA standards, according to Politico.
5. Health Record Banking Alliance. The group claims TEFCA may not be consistent with the 21st Century Cures Act. It suggests ONC create a "single standard mechanism for EHRs to use for purposes of exchanging medical records nationwide," according to a Feb. 23 Politico Morning eHealth newsletter.
6. Patient Privacy Rights. The patient advocacy group suggests ONC develop a monthly digest to distribute to patients that explains how often their data is collected and how they can opt-out of TEFCA.
7. Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative. As a group that represents several health information exchanges, it argues the framework could hinder other already established data sharing efforts, possibly causing an undue burden. "[T]here are too many unknowns to truly estimate the costs of compliance, staffing, contractual changes, privacy practices changes, education, and other system implementation and administrative costs," its letter reads, according to the Feb. 22 newsletter. "It is important that ONC recognize this very real effort and cost, which comes with zero funding to address the business requirements."
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