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Fact Sheet: The 21st Century Cures Act’s Interoperability and Information Blocking Rules
Overview
The 21st Century Cures Act, passed in December 2016, is an important piece of legislation aiming at speeding up medical product development and getting innovations and advances to patients more effectively. The Interoperability and Information Blocking Rules, finalized in March 2020, are a critical component of this Act. These rules are intended to improve the interoperability of health information technology (IT) and increase patient access to their health information.
Key Components: Interoperability.
Definition: Interoperability is the ability of various IT systems and software applications to effectively communicate, exchange, and use data.
Health IT developers, hospitals, and healthcare providers must use standardized application programming interfaces (APIs) to allow for the seamless transmission of electronic health information (EHI).
Information Blocking:
Information blocking is described as any behavior that has the potential to interfere with the access, exchange, or use of EHI, whether authorized by law or indicated as an allowable exception.
Prohibited actions: Activities that limit allowed access, use, or exchange of EHI are forbidden, unless they fall under one of the eight exceptions listed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).
Patient Access:
Empowerment: Patients have the right to access their EHI electronically, without delay or cost.
Tools: Health IT developers must give patients with safe, user-friendly tools for accessing and managing their health information.
The Function of the Nurse Informaticist
Nurse informaticists play a crucial role in ensuring that healthcare organizations comply with the 21st Century Cures Act. Their responsibilities include:
Implementation of Health IT Systems:
Ensuring the integration and interoperability of health IT systems within the organization.
Collaborating with IT and clinical teams to develop and maintain standardized APIs.
Education and Training:
Educating healthcare staff about the importance of interoperability and the prohibition of information blocking.
Training doctors and administrative workers on how to use new health IT technologies and systems efficiently.
Policy Development and Compliance:
Developing internal policies and procedures that fit with the 21st Century Cures Act.
Monitoring compliance with the Act’s requirements and addressing any instances of information blocking.
Patient Advocacy:
Advocating for patients’ rights to access their health information.
Assisting patients in navigating health IT systems to retrieve their EHI.
Compliance Benefits
Enhanced Patient treatment: Improved access to EHI helps better clinical decision-making and continuity of treatment.
Regulatory Compliance: Adherence to the 21st Century Cures Act prevents legal ramifications and punitive penalties.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlined data interchange improves workflow efficiency while decreasing administrative burdens.
Challenges and Considerations
System Integration: Ensuring the seamless integration of diverse health IT systems can be difficult and resource-intensive.
Data Security: Securing patient data while fostering interoperability necessitates strong cybersecurity measures.
Cultural Change: It is critical to encourage an organizational cultural shift toward transparency and data sharing.
QUESTION
- Review the Resources on healthcare policy and regulatory/legislative topics related to health and nursing informatics.
- Consider the role of the nurse informaticist in relation to a healthcare organization’s compliance with various policies and regulations, such as the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA).
- Research and select one health or nursing informatics policy (within the past 5 years) or regulation for further study.
- 1-page fact sheet that your healthcare organization could hypothetically use to explain the health or nursing informatics policy/regulation you selected.
