The Standard

If you can’t think of a reason to pay attention to FAST's work, we have a couple for you! Recent requirements related to TEFCA (Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement) and the latest HTI-2 proposed rule have named the FAST Security Implementation Guide (IG). This recognition underscores the importance and foundational nature of FAST's contributions to healthcare interoperability. 

On July 1st, the Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE) released the Facilitated FHIR Implementation Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), outlining the requirements for using FHIR within the TEFCA framework. Notably, these requirements include adopting the FAST HL7 UDAP Security for Scalable Registration, Authentication, and Authorization FHIR Implementation Guide (SSRAA) by January 1, 2026. This timeline allows organizations to implement FAST Security while still using SMART or other security options in the interim. 

Specifically, the SOP states: 

Prior to January 1, 2026: 

• All FHIR Adopters MAY follow the requirements of HL7 SSRAA FHIR IG 1.0.0 STU 1 US Section 3 Registration. 

• Manual registration requests for client_id MUST be resolved within 5 business days where sufficient information has been provided. Information requirements MUST NOT exceed those in Section 3 of HL7 SSRAA FHIR IG and this SOP. 

• All FHIR adopters MUST use one of the following: 
  • HL7 SSRAA FHIR IG 1.0.0 – STU 1 US Sections 4 and 5; 
  • SMART Release 1.0.0; or 
  • Another authentication and authorization framework that adheres to the QTF requirements is based on out-of-band agreements between exchange partners. 

HL7 applauds the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) for its April 22, 2024 Common Agreement Version 2.0 release, which announced the requirement for health information networks participating in the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) to support the HL7 Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR^®) standard.

February Roundtable also features Payer Data Exchange and Burden Reduction Overviews

This week’s HL7 Da Vinci Project Community Roundtable, “HL7 Da Vinci Implementation Guides Solve Your Real-World Business Problems: Postable Remittance, Payer Data Exchange and Burden Reduction Overviews,” is scheduled for Feruary 28 from 4 – 5:30 p.m. ET. 

Da Vinci leaders will introduce the newest use case focusing on postable remittance advice and will share an overview of the Implementation Guides that are suggested in the proposed rules and how they meet the rules’ objectives.

With the issuance of the new federal interoperability rules, the innovative interoperability work advanced by the HL7 Da Vinci Project is once again being recognized as a path forward for game-changing industry transformation that will reduce burden, increase automation and improve care. You will learn how to access the resources, participate in community feedback and start getting involved.

The presenters will include:

• Robert Dieterle, HL7 Da Vinci Project Sr. Advisor and Burden Reduction Lead
• Naomi Miao, Business Operations Manager, athenahealth
• Mark Scrimshire, PDex Project Lead & Implementation Guide Lead, HL7 Da Vinci Project, and Chief Interoperability Officer, Onyx Health

The session is moderated by Alix Goss, HL7 Da Vinci Project PMO, and Senior Consultant, Point-of-Care Partners.

January Roundtable also features Providence’s Clinical Data Exchange Implementation Journey

Are you interested in hearing federal officials provide an overview of the CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule (CMS-0057)?

If so, register now for next week’s HL7 Da Vinci Project Community Roundtable, “CMS Interoperability Final Rule Overview and a Clinical Data Exchange Success Story: How Standardization Improves Value Based Care Performance,” scheduled for Jan. 24 from 4 – 5:30 p.m. ET.

The HL7 Da Vinci Project is thrilled to have CMS join next Wednesday’s Community Roundtable to offer highlights of the final rule in addition to the scheduled program showcasing Providence’s Da Vinci Clinical Data Exchange (CDex) Implementation Guide implementation journey.

Providence became the first major health system to implement CDex standards, and their journey included piloting with Premera Blue Cross and the vetting and approval by internal quality teams and external Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) auditors. The session concludes with a discussion of benefits experienced using CDex, including improved decision making, reduced burden, improved patient outcomes and enhanced quality of care to patients.

The Da Vinci Project is a private-sector initiative that accelerates the adoption of HL7 FHIR as the standard to support and integrate value-based care (VBC) data exchange across communities. The goal of the project is to help payers and providers positively impact clinical, quality, cost and care management outcomes, enabling providers to see the right data at the right time for patient-centered care.

The presenters will include:

• Lorraine Doo, Senior Policy Advisory,Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service
• Alex Mugge, Deputy Chief Health Informatics Officer, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service
• Semira Singh, Director, Population Health Informatics, Providence  
• Michael Westover, Vice President, Population Health, Providence 

The session will be  moderated by Alix Goss, HL7 Da Vinci Project PMO, and Senior Consultant, Point-of-Care Partners.

Discussion offers insights on real-world implementations of Da Vinci’s Implementation Guides

Join us on Wednesday, December 6, from 4 – 5:30 p.m. EST for the December Community Roundtable presentation titled, “A Year of Active Implementation: HL7 Da Vinci Project Year-end Review and 2024 Plans.”

At this combined Member Forum, Operating Committee and Community Roundtable, Da Vinci Project leaders will share the latest on use case progress and implementations, regulatory response and alignment, and how HL7 FHIR brings value to implementers and the marketplace. The session will conclude with considerations and opportunities for 2024.

Presenters will be:

• Hans Buitendijk, HL7 Da Vinci Project Steering Committee Vice Chair, and Director, Interoperability Strategy, Oracle Health
• Crystal Kallem, Project Manager, HL7 Da Vinci Project, and Senior Consultant, Point-of-Care Partners
• Jocelyn Keegan, Program Manager, HL7 Da Vinci Project, and Payer/Practice Lead, Point-of-Care Partners

The moderator will be Alix Goss, HL7 Da Vinci Project PMO, and Senior Consultant, Point-of-Care Partners.

Learn about the rules, how innovators are reaping the benefits of HL7 FHIR APIs and the value of automation at this month’s  Da Vinci Project Community Roundtable

In this month’s Community Roundtable, the HL7 Da Vinci Project is exploring healthcare interoperability with a full line-up of speakers. The virtual roundtable, titled, “Advancing Interoperability via FHIR APIs: An Industry Discussion on Progress, Proposed Rules and the Value of Automation,”will be held Wednesday, Feb. 22, from 4:00 - 5:30 PM EST.

The session will break down the latest federal proposed rules impacting interoperability, the Prior Authorization and Attachments Rules, published last December. Continuing where the January Roundtable left off, Da Vinci guest speakers will address the complex rules and explain their significance in moving forward with FHIR APIs to seamlessly exchange information between payers and providers. CMS is awaiting March comments on the rule, and this roundtable will be a good prep for those who are preparing to comment on this landmark regulation impacting interoperability and seeking to invest in FHIR.

The Da Vinci Project’s January Community Roundtable to be held January 25 from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. ET

With the issuance of the new federal prior authorization and attachments rule proposals last month, the innovative interoperability work advanced by the HL7 Da Vinci Project is once again being recognized as a path forward for game-changing industry transformation that will reduce burden, increase automation and improve care.

The Intersection of Federal Regulation and The HL7 Da Vinci Project, January’s Community Roundtable, features an overview and frequently asked questions about the rules and their accompanying RFIs from CMS officials. Da Vinci leaders then will share an overview of the implementation guides that are suggested in the proposed rules and how they meet the rules’ objectives.

At the January 25 session, which is scheduled from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m. ET, attendees will learn how to access the resources, participate in community feedback and start getting involved.

Background

The Biden-Harris Administration will host the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health on September 28, 2022. In addition to announcing a national strategy to address the intersections between food, hunger, nutrition and health, the Administration has issued a call for stakeholder commitments along five pillars, including the “integration of nutrition and health.”

We seek to better integrate nutrition information within a patient’s electronic health record (EHR) by accelerating a standards-based approach to implementing universal social needs screening. With the final CMS IPPS rule requiring hospitals to report on  social determinants of health (SDOH) screening quality measures in 2024, along with similar requirements of MA SNPs and ACO REACH model participants in 2023, we believe a multi-stakeholder effort, which should also include Medicaid agencies and managed care plans, to advance an HL7 Fast Health Interoperability Resources (“FHIR”)-based approach to meet these “functional” requirements will significantly enhance the ability of providers to meet these CMS requirements.