Electronic Health & Medical Records

Portrait of Wei Chang

Hospitals Collect and Receive Social Needs Data, but Usage Varies

Wei Chang | July 31, 2023

If left unaddressed, the social needs experienced by an individual may lead to poor health outcomes and more time spent in hospitals and interacting with the health care system. Hospitals, therefore, are uniquely situated to help address social needs and mitigate social risk factors by screening for social needs, assisting with transitions of care, and making connections to social service organizations. According to a recent ONC analysis of data from the 2022 American Hospital Association (AHA) Information Technology Supplement Survey,

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Portrait of Jordan Everson

Updated Insights on Hospital Leaders’ Perceptions of Information Blocking

Jordan Everson | June 14, 2023

In a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA), we leveraged data from the 2020 American Hospital Association (AHA) Information Technology Supplement gathered from April-June 2021, shortly after the initial applicability date of the information blocking regulations (April 5, 2021). We found that 42% of hospitals perceived that at least one type of information blocking “actor” (health care provider, health information network/health information exchange, or health IT developer of certified health IT) engaged in practices that may constitute information blocking.

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Portrait of Kathryn Marchesini

Increasing the Transparency and Trustworthiness of AI in Health Care

Kathryn Marchesini | April 13, 2023

This is part five of a blog series on predictive models, artificial intelligence (AI) & machine learning (ML) in health. We encourage readers to (re)visit the four previous blog posts for important context to what follows.
Through a series of blog posts over the last year, we’ve described our understanding of the current and potential uses of predictive models and machine learning algorithms in health care, and the role that ONC can play in shaping their development and use.

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Portrait of Micky Tripathi

Building TEFCA

Micky Tripathi | February 13, 2023

A little over a year ago, we announced the completion of a critical 21st Century Cures Act requirement by publishing the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common AgreementSM (TEFCASM). This milestone established a clear infrastructure model and governing approach for nationwide health information exchange.

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Portrait of Kathryn Marchesini

Guiding Developers through Foundational Federal Laws Applicable to Mobile Health Technology

Kathryn Marchesini | December 12, 2022

As you design, market, and distribute a mobile health (mHealth) app that your customers will use to collect, share, use, or maintain individuals’ health information, it is likely you have questions about what U.S. federal laws apply. You may also wonder which federal agencies oversee various aspects of mHealth — including how this varies by how individuals, their health plan, or health care providers will use the app.  Depending on who is expected to use an app and how they will get and use the app (e.g.,

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