The Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology Information Blocking Rule Will Expand in October 2022
Through the 21st Century Cures Act, Congress has established penalties for healthcare entities that engage in information blocking—interfering with the access, exchange, or use of electronic health information (EHI). The information blocking rule applies to all health care providers, health IT developers of certified health IT, health information networks, and health information exchanges. From now through October 5, 2022, the blocking requirements are limited to the data elements represented in the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI Version 1). This smaller scope gives organizations time to gain experience with the information blocking rule and figure out when any exceptions may apply and what technology they’ll need to implement - before the full scope of the regulations goes into effect. The best way to prepare for October 2022 is to identify EHI and the systems they reside in and plan for how the entire set of EHI will be delivered to patients through the use of third-party, typically mobile, health apps. This way, you can identify potential issues in order to resolve them before the full rule takes effect on October 6, 2022.
With the regulatory landscape evolving in 2022, healthcare facilities need to be prepared. Learn how Stericycle can help with your compliance efforts.