In a significant step toward achieving universal healthcare interoperability, Epic Nexus has successfully connected 625 hospitals to the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) within a year.
This milestone marks a major achievement in enabling secure and seamless medical record exchange, overcoming barriers that have long hindered electronic health information sharing across healthcare organizations in the United States.
The integration of hospitals into the TEFCA framework sets the stage for an improved healthcare landscape, where patients, providers, and health systems can collaborate more efficiently through standardized data exchange.
Key Takeaways
Epic Nexus has successfully connected 625 hospitals to the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) within a year, marking a significant step toward achieving universal healthcare interoperability.
- The integration of hospitals into the TEFCA framework sets the stage for an improved healthcare landscape where patients, providers, and health systems can collaborate more efficiently through standardized data exchange.
- Epic Nexus has accelerated participation in TEFCA by leveraging its extensive network of hospitals and providers, making it possible for 625 hospitals to exchange data securely within a single year.
- Achieving interoperability will enable healthcare organizations to deliver better care, reduce redundancies, and enhance patient outcomes, ultimately improving the overall quality of healthcare.
Establishing a nationwide infrastructure for TEFCA
The TEFCA was developed under the 21st Century Cures Act with bipartisan support, serving as a nationwide solution to resolve long-standing interoperability issues.
Before the implementation of TEFCA, approximately one-third of U.S. hospitals faced significant challenges when attempting to share Electronic Health Records (EHR) across different platforms. This lack of connectivity often led to fragmented care, redundant tests, and delays in critical medical decision-making.
TEFCA’s primary goal is to standardize and simplify the way EHR systems share information between disparate systems and healthcare providers. By establishing a “network of networks,” TEFCA facilitates the secure exchange of health information while ensuring compliance with strict privacy and security standards.
A key component of TEFCA’s success is the use of Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR). FHIR provides a universal standard for structuring and sharing electronic health information, allowing systems built by different vendors to communicate effectively.
By embracing FHIR, TEFCA ensures that providers can exchange patient data seamlessly, regardless of the software or systems they use.
Epic Nexus achieving interoperability
Epic Systems, a pioneer in healthcare technology, has played a central role in advancing interoperability. For over two decades, Epic has been at the forefront of developing solutions that improve the accessibility and exchange of electronic health information.
With its vast adoption across the U.S., Epic has become synonymous with Electronic Health Records innovation, transforming the way hospitals manage and share patient data.
Epic Nexus, the company’s latest initiative, serves as a bridge to connect healthcare organizations to TEFCA. Leveraging its extensive network of hospitals and providers, Epic Nexus has accelerated participation in TEFCA, making it possible for 625 hospitals to exchange data securely within a single year.
This achievement highlights the benefits of interoperability:
1. Improved care coordination: Providers can access complete patient records in real-time, enhancing their ability to deliver timely and accurate care.
2. Reduced redundancies: Shared data minimizes duplicate tests, procedures, and imaging, saving both time and healthcare costs.
3. Comprehensive patient histories: A unified view of medical records allows for better-informed decisions, particularly for patients with chronic or complex conditions.
Rob Klootwyk, Director of Interoperability at Epic, shared that hospitals are adopting TEFCA quickly, and the company anticipates that the remaining connections will be complete by the end of 2025. “We are helping our customers integrate seamlessly, ensuring that they meet the standards and requirements for secure data exchange under TEFCA,” Klootwyk said.
A long way toward interoperability
Epic’s path to interoperability began in the early 2000s when it launched its first Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. Since then, the company has consistently introduced tools that revolutionize how patients and providers interact with health data. Notable innovations, such as the MyChart patient portal, have empowered over 190 million individuals to manage their care online by accessing test results, medical histories, and appointments from a single platform.
Today, over 3,700 hospitals across the United States use Epic’s EHR systems. The company’s footprint also extends internationally, with Epic supporting healthcare organizations in 16 countries.
Despite these advancements, achieving full interoperability has been a complex, multi-decade process. Historically, healthcare systems operated in silos, relying on proprietary software that lacked standardized communication protocols. TEFCA, supported by platforms like Epic Nexus, represents the first comprehensive effort to dismantle these barriers, enabling healthcare organizations to exchange patient information seamlessly and securely.
However, obstacles remain on the path to full interoperability. Challenges in achieving interoperability include:
1. Standardization issues: While FHIR has made significant strides, some healthcare organizations still face hurdles in aligning their systems with established standards.
2. Data security: Ensuring that patient data remains protected during exchange requires robust governance and compliance protocols.
3. Infrastructure gaps: Smaller and rural hospitals often lack the necessary technology infrastructure to support data exchange at scale.
Epic’s role in connecting hospitals to TEFCA addresses these challenges head-on, providing healthcare organizations with the tools and support needed to navigate interoperability complexities.
Enhancing patient care via data exchange
The benefits of achieving interoperability extend beyond hospitals and healthcare providers—they directly impact patient outcomes. Improved communication among healthcare systems allows providers to deliver more coordinated care, leading to better clinical outcomes and greater patient satisfaction.
Dr. David Kaelber, a physician and healthcare technology expert, emphasized that TEFCA’s framework can transform patient care. “Having widespread access to electronic health information means providers can make informed decisions with a comprehensive understanding of a patient’s medical history,” Kaelber explained.
Key improvements resulting from interoperability include:
1. Enhanced care for underserved communities: TEFCA’s “on-ramp” provision ensures that rural and underserved areas can participate in the exchange of health information, addressing disparities in care delivery.
2. Streamlined patient experiences: Patients no longer need to carry physical records or repeat medical histories when visiting new providers. Their health data becomes readily available wherever they seek care.
3. Reduction in medical errors: Accurate and up-to-date information reduces the likelihood of errors caused by incomplete or outdated records.
Matt Doyle, Epic’s interoperability software development lead, underscored the importance of fostering trust among providers during the onboarding process. “For healthcare organizations to embrace interoperability, they must trust that the systems in place will work securely and efficiently,” Doyle noted.
A unified future for healthcare interoperability
The connection of 625 hospitals to the TEFCA framework signals a shift toward a more unified healthcare ecosystem. By aligning healthcare providers, technology vendors, and policymakers, TEFCA paves the way for a future where Electronic Health Records – Interoperability is not just an aspiration but a standard practice.
As Epic continues its efforts to connect hospitals and healthcare systems, the focus remains on collaboration. Achieving interoperability requires ongoing partnerships to address infrastructure gaps, ensure adherence to data standards, and implement rigorous security protocols.
Looking ahead, healthcare organizations must prioritize investments in robust technology infrastructure and standardized data governance practices to fully realize the potential of interoperability. This will enable a seamless flow of health information, ultimately improving patient care across the nation.
For patients, this milestone promises a future where healthcare becomes more connected, transparent, and efficient. Providers can access the information they need to deliver better care, while patients benefit from a more streamlined and personalized healthcare experience.
Epic Nexus and healthcare interoperability with TEFCA
Epic Nexus’s successful connecting 625 hospitals highlights a pivotal step in achieving true healthcare interoperability. By addressing long-standing challenges in how EHR systems share information, Epic has positioned itself as a leader in transforming the healthcare landscape.
Through the adoption of Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) and TEFCA standards, hospitals and providers can securely exchange data across systems, improving care delivery, reducing redundancies, and enhancing patient outcomes.
As Epic continues its work to connect additional hospitals by 2025, the healthcare industry moves closer to a future where data flows freely, securely, and efficiently. The result is a more connected and collaborative ecosystem, where patients receive the care they need, when and where they need it.
