TEFCA- Standards for Healthcare Data Sharing

TEFCA, or the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, was created to improve how healthcare organizations share patient data across different systems. It was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) as part of a broader effort to promote nationwide interoperability in healthcare.

The need for TEFCA comes from the growing use of electronic health records (EHRs). Over the past decade, many healthcare providers switched from paper records to digital ones thanks to programs like the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009. This was part of a push to modernize healthcare, improve the quality of care, and reduce costs. However, while more organizations adopted EHR systems, they often used different platforms that didn’t work well together.

As a result, many healthcare providers found it hard to share patient information, especially between different hospitals, clinics, and specialists. This lack of communication could lead to problems like incomplete medical histories, duplicated tests, or delayed treatments, as doctors couldn’t always access all the information they needed.

The 21st Century Cures Act and the Birth of TEFCA

In response to these issues, the U.S. Congress passed the 21st Century Cures Act in 2016, a law aimed at advancing medical research, speeding up the approval of new treatments, and addressing healthcare data sharing. One of the key parts of the law was a focus on improving health data interoperability. Congress directed the ONC to create a framework that would allow healthcare providers, patients, and health information networks to securely exchange data, regardless of which EHR systems they were using.

This directive led to the creation of TEFCA, which was first released in draft form in 2018. TEFCA builds on previous efforts to improve health data sharing, but it takes a more structured approach by creating a unified set of principles and agreements that everyone involved—healthcare providers, technology vendors, and health information networks—must follow.

Key Components of TEFCA

TEFCA is designed to create a nationwide “network of networks,” allowing different health information exchanges and EHR systems to work together. The framework has two main parts:

1. Trusted Exchange Framework (TEF): This is a set of principles that guide how health information should be shared. It focuses on making sure the process is secure, efficient, and respectful of patients’ privacy.
2. Common Agreement (CA): This is the legal and operational part of TEFCA. It lays out the rules that organizations must follow when participating in the data-sharing network. The agreement is meant to ensure that all participants are on the same page when it comes to privacy, security, and data access.

TEFCA also introduces Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs), which are entities that help connect different health systems and ensure that data flows smoothly between them. These QHINs will act as intermediaries, making it easier for healthcare providers, patients, and public health organizations to access the information they need, even if they use different technologies.

Why TEFCA Matters

TEFCA is important because it creates a standardized approach to health information exchange (HIE), something that has been lacking in the U.S. healthcare system. By establishing a common framework and agreement, TEFCA is intended to eliminate the barriers that have made it difficult for healthcare providers to share patient information across different systems. This will ultimately improve patient care by giving providers access to complete and accurate medical histories, reducing errors, and speeding up treatment.

While TEFCA is a promising solution, it’s still in the early stages of implementation. Healthcare providers, technology vendors, and government agencies will need to work together to address the challenges of technology compatibility, data security, costs, and adoption.

The Challenges Ahead

While TEFCA promises to make healthcare better, there are several challenges that healthcare providers and technology companies will face as they try to implement this standard. Here are some of the main obstacles:

1. Technology Upgrades and Compatibility

Healthcare organizations often use different electronic health record (EHR) systems, and many of these systems don’t “talk” to each other. TEFCA requires them to be able to share data, but this will mean upgrading current systems or even switching to new platforms. Making sure these systems can work together will be a major challenge, especially for smaller clinics that might not have the resources to handle the technical changes needed.

2. Data Security and Privacy Concerns

Patient data is extremely sensitive. When healthcare providers share information across systems, they need to make sure it is done in a way that protects privacy. With TEFCA, organizations will need to follow strict guidelines to keep data safe from hackers and breaches. This could involve using more advanced encryption methods, setting up firewalls, and constantly monitoring their systems for threats. Protecting health information while making it more accessible is a balancing act.

3. Cost of Implementation

Implementing TEFCA may come with significant costs. Hospitals, clinics, and tech companies will need to invest in new software, hire IT staff, and train employees. These costs can be particularly challenging for smaller practices and healthcare systems that don’t have large budgets. While larger organizations may be able to absorb these costs more easily, smaller ones might struggle to keep up, leading to a gap in participation.

4. Widespread Adoption

For TEFCA to work as intended, participation from a wide range of healthcare providers and technology vendors is essential. If only a few hospitals or clinics adopt the standard, the benefits will be limited. Getting everyone – from small private practices to large hospitals – on board will take time, effort, and coordination. Convincing some providers, especially those with limited resources, to join may be difficult.

Despite these challenges, TEFCA and QHINs hold great promise in transforming how health data is shared, leading to better, faster, and more coordinated care for patients nationwide.

RecordQuest

As a Release of Information (ROI) company, RecordQuest makes data security its highest priority. Staying abreast of any and all changes in the healthcare data security world is our job. For a secure partner that provides a workflow solution that works, contact us for more information and answers to all your security questions.