EHNAC Announces 2014 Final Criteria for HIE Accreditation Program

The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC), a nonprofit standards development organization and accrediting body announced the adoption of new criteria for the Health Information Exchange Accreditation Program (HIEAP), including the Texas Health Services Authority’s HIE state-level program that was released for review in March. The updated HIEAP criteria will assess health information and oversight of HIEs to ensure health care reform and privacy and security regulations are met, further establishing trust throughout the health care community, while the TX-HIEAP will allow Texas HIEs to ensure they meet state as well as national standards.

“Building trust is crucial to the success of any HIE,” says EHNAC Executive Director Lee Barrett. “Utilizing the input of public comments, we have established an objective HIEAP evaluation that will ensure security and sustainability measures are met to enhance the efficiency and quality of service of HIEs and enable them to stay current with health care reform and marketplace trends.”

Following the standard, 60-day public comment period, EHNAC has incorporated feedback to finalize and adopt the criteria for the HIEAP and for the TX-HIEAP. The HIEAP program certifies qualified HIEs to ensure they are operating under accepted and uniform standards in the handling of protected health information. In the program, EHNAC reviews technical performance, business processes, resource management, and other relevant information to ensure that accredited HIEs are interoperable with state and federal programs, and provide the private, secure, and proper exchange of health information in accordance with established laws and public policy.

Barrett discussed an additional benefit: “This year’s adoption of final criteria for our national HIE accreditation program has provided extended value beyond its primary goal. This process has facilitated the custom-development of statewide programs that are helping individual states like Texas provide guidelines for their own specific needs and regulations.”

Tony Gilman, CEO of the Texas Health Services Authority, spoke of the TX-HIEAP: “Through this program, public and private HIE organizations operating in Texas will be recognized for meeting and maintaining accepted and uniform standards in the handling of protected health information. The program will increase trust and confidence and ensure interoperability within the state.”

Source: Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission