The Health Data, Technology and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing and Public Health (HTI-2) rule announced in July 2024 is the latest push to further deliver on the 21st Century Cures Act and advance interoperability (record sharing) among patients, providers, payers and public health agencies. The HTI-2 proposed rule is available to read and comment on until Oct 4, 2024. Dave Navarro, Senior Director of Data Science at Harmony Healthcare IT, walks through what the newly proposed rule means, and how to prepare, in a recent podcast. What is new in the proposed HTI-2 rule? There are several new areas and updates that are included in the newly proposed HTI-2 rule, including: Public health and payer certification. This is the first time health IT certification criteria includes a focus on enabling health IT data exchange certification for public healthcare providers/organizations and payers under the ONC’s Health IT Certification Program. Both efforts aim to improve public health response and advance value-based care. Image sharing. There are several proposed technology and standards updates that range from the capability to exchange clinical images and the addition of multi-factor authentication. Adoption of USCDI v4. The HTI-2 proposed rule also seeks to require the adoption of the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) version 4 by January 1, 2028. Pharmacy focus. A new, real-time prescription benefit tool would empower providers and patients to make more informed decisions based on transparent information to compare the cost of drugs and alternatives. Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement™ (TEFCA™). A plan to establish TEFCA governance rules. What does the new proposed HTI-2 rule mean for healthcare IT? Navarro shares that the ever-evolving ONC certified health IT program and updates like the proposed HTI-2 rule help ensure that health IT products meet industry standards and sets clear direction for the interoperability needed. “It’s a guiding light for those building and implementing health IT products,” he commented. Three takeaways from the recent ONC announcement. There are several updates and changes to read through in the proposed rule. These three items top Navarro’s list of things you should know. Understand the regulation landscape. Use the ONC as a guide. Health IT is complex, and it can be tough to know what you should focus on. The resources at gov are helpful. Be an active participant in rule making. The commenting period for the proposed rule is open until Oct. 4, 2024. The ONC relies on those in the industry to review and comment on the proposed rules. Become a novice at interpreting the FHIR specifications. While you may not be a developer or programmer, knowing the basics about Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) and how data is transported can be helpful. There is a lot to think about as data standards evolve, so understanding the basics of FHIR and HL7 supports being better prepared for future integrations and increased interoperability. How is Harmony Healthcare IT gearing up to meet HTI-2? Navarro maintains that since Harmony Healthcare IT specializes in historical patient data management, legacy data solutions ought to align their data categorization, organization, and accessibility methodologies with those of active EHRs. This includes a baseline data content standard to ensure customers have a common set of data elements and definitions across their entire enterprise. This common approach makes sure interoperability standards are met and focuses on the improved integration of active and legacy records. “In today’s world, a clinician may be able to Single Sign-On within the active EHR to view historical data, but the data may not be able to be consumed by the EHR,” said Navarro. “We need the information to be able to be viewed and available for consumption and sharing. This can only happen if all the players are using aligned content and format standards.” Harmony Healthcare IT continues to innovate solutions to increase interoperability options for healthcare providers of all sizes. This includes addressing the key updates in the HTI-2 rule: Clinical image exchange. Expanding the features of HealthData Archiver® with DICOM Viewer, provides a complete medical image archive with a comprehensive cloud-based DICOM Viewer. This feature supports the HTI-2’s call for enhanced clinical image exchange capabilities for vital diagnostic images and X-rays. Enhanced security with Multi-Factor Authentication. Harmony Healthcare IT’s ETL Environment, HealthData Platform™, Data Center and Workstations are certified by HITRUST for information security. The HITRUST certification represents the highest and most comprehensive set of security controls and includes integrating robust multi-factor authenticated protocols to protect patient and other data. Laying the groundwork to adopt USCDI v.4. The team is actively ahead of the curve in preparing for the USCDI v4 mandate of 2028. Do you have questions about the newly proposed rule or about how to align your data management strategy to be prepared for the future? Dave Navarro and our team of health data experts are ready to help you. Reach out to set up a call.