ONC releases HIE governance framework

The Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT (ONC) issued a Request for Information (RFI) last year to gather public input on a potential regulatory approach for validating organizations as legitimate participants in the Nationwide Health Information Network (NwHIN).

On May 3, the office released the Governance Framework for Trusted Electronic Health Information Exchange. "We were told in comments that ONC needs to establish a policy framework for private actors to align with," ONC chief Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, wrote in a post on the HealthITBuzz blog. "The Governance Framework reflects what matters most to ONC when it comes to national health information exchange governance and the principles in which ONC believes. We’ve published this framework to provide a common foundation for all types of governance models. Entities that set health information exchange policy should look to the Governance Framework’s principles as a way to align their work with national priorities. It is critical that we are all working from a similar understanding of the expectations for nationwide electronic health information exchange. This framework is an important step to set that direction."

The Governance Framework discusses the following four key categories of principles:

• Trust Principles: Guide health information exchange governance entities on patient privacy, meaningful choice, and data management in health information exchange;
• Business Principles: Focus on responsible financial and operational policies for governance entities, with emphasis on transparency and health information exchange with the patients best interests in mind;
• Technical Principles: Express priorities for the use of standards in order to support the Trust and Business Principles as well as furthering the execution of interoperability; and
• Organizational Principles: Identify generally applicable approaches for good self-governance.

Mostashari said participants can expect ONC to ask them how they're addressing these principles. He also added that ONC intends "for the Governance Framework to be a living document. As we learn with you, we will consider updating these principles over time to reflect policy changes, technological maturity, and market innovations, as necessary."

ONC will establish a monitoring program to ensure the governance goals are being addressed.