Since the onset of the COVID pandemic, the CMS has issued several regulations that foster interoperability and boost health information access for patients, providers, and payers. One policy outlined in these regulations is the Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule (CMS-9115-F). According to the CMS, this rule improves interoperability and access to health information by “liberating patient data using CMS authority to regulate Medicare Advantage (MA), Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Qualified Health Plan (QHP) issuers on the Federally-facilitated Exchanges (FFEs)."

The Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule also amends the CMS's Conditions of Participation by requiring psychiatric and critical access hospitals to send electronic notifications of a patient's admission, discharge, and transfer to all relevant providers. The CMS plans to start enforcing these new requirements on July 1, 2021, and it has just released new guidelines about complying with the updated regulations.

Mediphore's technology is designed to improve interoperability and access to health information. The capabilities of the Mediphore platform thus perfectly align with the goals of the CMS. You can read more about the CMS regulations, including the Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule, here.