Feds To Address ‘Information Blocking’ Practices Of Tech Vendors & Provider Organizations

The federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to take specific actions to discourage electronic health record (EHR) developers, vendors, and health care provider organizations from intentionally and unreasonably interfering with the exchange of or use of electronic health information. HHS has received many complaints alleging that electronic health record (EHR) vendors and health care provider organizations are engaging in “information blocking”—business practices intended to block the exchange clinical and administrative health data to preserve market share.

The complaints cite barriers to health information exchange due to contractual terms, technology design decisions, and other business practices, as . . .