On Oct. 4, Children's Hospital Association (CHA) submitted comments to the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy within the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology on the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2) proposed rule.
The rule advances interoperability and improves information sharing among providers, payers, and public health authorities to empower patients and ensure they receive quality care. The proposal is intended to give stakeholders additional clarity for implementing a standardized set of health data elements for a nationwide, interoperable health information exchange. CHA's comments highlight pediatric-specific considerations relating to public health data interoperability and information blocking exceptions, among other issues that are impactful for children’s hospitals.