Data Blocking Hampers Interoperability, ONC Says

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has sent a report to Congress detailing how electronic health information blocking is interfering with the exchange and use of information to improve outcomes, as well as strategies to address the problem.

“Since the enactment of the HITECH Act and subsequent legislation, the federal government has invested over $28 billion to accelerate the development and adoption of health information technology to enable an interoperable learning health system,” states the report. “While many stakeholders are committed to achieving this vision, current economic and market conditions create business incentives for some persons and entities to exercise control over electronic health information in ways that unreasonably limit its availability and use.”

According to ONC, complaints and other evidence described in the 39-page report “suggest that some persons and entities are interfering with the exchange or use of electronic health information in ways that frustrate the goals of the HITECH Act and undermine broader healthcare reforms.” ONC’s report provides criteria for identifying and distinguishing electronic health information blocking from other barriers to interoperability, and details current and proposed actions...