ASCO Pledges to Advance Interoperability Among Health Information Systems

By ASCO
April 10, 2016

ASCO has joined members of the health-care community in pledging to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to commit to principles that will advance interoperability among health information systems.

A formal announcement of the initiative was delivered by HHS Secretary
Sylvia M. Burwell at the Health Information Management Systems Society’s annual conference on February 29.

As a part of the pledge, ASCO has made a commitment to:

• Consumer access: To help consumers easily and securely access their electronic health information, direct it to any desired location, learn how their information can be shared and used, and be assured that this information will be effectively and safely used to benefit their health and that of their community. 
• No Blocking/Transparency: To help providers share individuals’ health information for care with other providers and their patients whenever permitted by law, and not block electronic health information (defined as knowingly and unreasonably interfering with information sharing). 
• Standards: To implement federally recognized national interoperability standards, policies, guidance, and practices for electronic health information, and adopt best practices including those related to privacy and security.

In a statement, ASCO President Julie M. Vose, MD, MBA, FASCO, commended HHS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT for their leadership and said “ASCO is working to overcome these barriers in numerous areas: On the clinical front, we have developed and are continuing to develop interoperability standards and treatment plans for sharing of cancer information. ASCO also has outlined steps Congress should take to advance the widespread interoperability of electronic health records and prevent information blocking. In addition, we are leading the development of CancerLinQ™, a cutting-edge health information technology platform that will enable us to learn from each of the millions of individual patients living with cancer nationwide by unlocking, assembling, and analyzing de-identified patient records.”

Read the full statement at http://www.asco.org/sites/www.asco.org/files/2016-interoperability-pledge.pdf. ■

© 2016. American Society of Clinical Oncology. All rights reserved.

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