Data blocking, standard APIs targeted in long-awaited EHR rules

Data blocking, standard APIs targeted in long-awaited EHR rules

The AHA is pushing back against a proposal that electronic event notification be required to take part in Medicare and Medicaid.

We believe that CMS already has better levers to ensure the exchange of appropriate health information for patients," AHA said in a statement.

"As we review the proposed rules, we will focus on ensuring it further protects patients, minimizes administrative burdens, and establishes clear data standards and operational protocols to put meaningful information into the hands of patients, providers, and insurance providers," AHIP CEO Matt Eyles said in a statement.

The agency plans to update the 2015 Edition certification EHR criteria to ensure health IT systems send and receive electronic health information in a synchronous manner, while allowing patients to export and view their data.

The rule allows seven "reasonable and necessary" exceptions to the definition of information blocking: preventing harm, promoting electronic health information privacy, promoting information security, recovering reasonably incurred costs, responding to infeasible requests, licensing interoperability elements and maintaining and improving health IT performance.

Under Cures, HHS and ONC are required to regulate and improve the interoperability of healthcare information, taking action against any malfeasance or wrongdoers impeding the electronic flow of patient data.