The exchange of information in the American healthcare system has evolved in the last sixty years, mirroring the transformation of the healthcare delivery system — moving from a largely siloed model of isolated individual providers toward somewhat more of a distributed and team-based model.
The early paradigm of handwritten notes in paper charts has given way to significant electronic data capture and exchange. The advent of electronic health records (EHRs) marked a significant leap forward, offering a digitized version of a patient’s medical record.
Interoperability ensures electronic health information (EHI) is accessible to an authorized interdisciplinary care team and additional authorized healthcare constituents, including, of course, the individual to whom the data applies, or their designated representative.
At the beginning of 2024, we stand on the cusp of the next evolution in interoperable healthcare delivery: The Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), a National Framework championed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).
TEFCA aims to create a single 'on-ramp' to nationwide connectivity for patients, providers, and all authorized healthcare constituents, simplifying the process of sharing health information privately, securely, and efficiently. This Framework represents the collective ambition to achieve an interconnected health system where data informs care at the point of service and contributes to a larger ecosystem of health intelligence that benefits all.
The journey toward interoperability has been long, but with the foundation of TEFCA, we are poised to enter a new era of healthcare communication and collaboration.
On the eve of TEFCA, the HIMSS Interoperability Committee looked both backward and forward from our unique vantage point to briefly document how we arrived at this point and where these new tools might take us. We are grateful that you are joining us on this journey.