February Insights: ViVE Highlights, TEFCA Updates & HIMSS25

ViVE 2025 brought together some of the brightest minds in healthcare IT, and we were thrilled to be part of the conversation! Hot topics included how to best leverage the national networks to optimize the value of innovative HealthTech, and the ongoing cost and time associated with direct integrations.?

Thank you to everyone we visited at your booths or “met up” at VIVE Connect—we enjoyed sharing insights and exploring new opportunities to advance healthcare interoperability.

?If we did not get a chance to connect, let’s keep the conversation going at HIMSS in Vegas next week! If you are attending we’d love to catch up in person!

Please grab a spot on our HIMSS Meeting Calendar: https://calendly.com/zenmarilee/meet-with-zen-healthcare-it-at-himss?

Preparing for Epic’s TEFCA Migration – A Strategic Approach

As Epic moves toward its TEFCA transition (from Carequality) by the end of 2025, healthcare IT leaders need to start planning now to ensure seamless data exchange. The shift in Epic’s strategy brings both opportunities and challenges. Delaying decisions until the last minute could lead to disruptions or missed opportunities to optimize connectivity with Epic facilities (and potentially other EMRs - as Epic is driving further TEFCA adoption).?

Here’s a strategic approach to prepare:

Take stock of your current need for access to data in Epic: If your need to share or access data from Epic sites is large, then you need to make a plan now to add a QHIN enabled connection to your national network strategy. This way - regardless of Epic’s specific strategy or exact timeline - your organization will be covered.?

• For Zen Stargate clients - you have an important advantage. Be sure to attend one of Marilee’s upcoming Office hours sessions or reach out directly at [email protected] to learn more about Zen’s TEFCA strategy.
• Evaluate your current technical and business policies for national network based exchange: Take a close look at your existing systems and integrations. Identify where your current processes may need adjustments to align with TEFCA’s new requirements and/or exchange purposes.
• Assess QHIN options: Quality Health Information Networks (QHINs) play a key role in exchanging data through TEFCA. Understanding your options is important. There are big differences between QHINs - and it’s essential you select a QHIN that aligns best with your long term needs.?
• Plan ahead for interoperability framework changes: TEFCA policies continue to evolve. Stay ahead by understanding what makes TEFCA exchange different. For example, there are new mandatory exchange purposes under Operations coming that could be a big benefit. Proactively understanding these changes now means fewer surprises later.
• Be prepared for uncertainty: What if the new administration puts a halt to TEFCA or makes unexpected changes? The best answer is that the existing networks are already looking at adopting TEFCA policies that aim to enhance trust and expand exchange purposes. Carequality based exchange is already well adopted and will continue to grow if something delays or interrupts the TEFCA rollout. A multi-network approach is an excellent strategy right now.

Taking a strategic, proactive approach will help ensure that you’re ready when the change comes—without scrambling at the last minute. The key is to start the conversation now, evaluate your options, and prepare your systems to ensure no interruptions in your key data flows.

HIMSS Meet Up Invite:

Last chance to schedule a HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition in person meeting with us - be sure to book an appointment with us here: https://calendly.com/zenmarilee/meet-with-zen-healthcare-it-at-himss

VIVE Conference Reflections:

Ron and I attended ViVE last week and had over 75 discussions with primarily HealthTech vendors highlighting their solutions. Here are my key takeaways from those discussions:

• A big difference from last year’s conference was the high number of AI Framework vendors, as opposed to specific AI solutions (while there were plenty of those also.) This reflects the reality that Health Systems are trying to implement multiple AI tools within a single ecosystem, and AI solutions are having to navigate multiple complex health system ecosystems. I feel this is a great example of AI in Healthcare gaining traction and maturing.?

I was shocked at how few HealthTech vendors were aware of:

• Nationwide Data Exchange networks and their value to solutions that require a complete health picture of the patient (AI, Analytics, Patient Facing Apps)
• TEFCA and its expanded exchange purposes (Individual Access Services, and the new expanded use cases coming soon (see below).
• Thus, my next Office Hours in March will focus on why it’s so essential for Health Tech vendors to understand the value of national networks broadly, and TEFCA specifically. Watch for upcoming registration invites!

TEFCA Next Mandatory Exchange Purposes coming your way:

• Last August 2024, an eighteen (18) month clock started on a mandatory response requirement for three specific Healthcare Operations Exchange Purposes. The published TEFCA SOPs for these are here.?
• The three “mandatory response" exchange purposes "coming soon" are:

1. Care Coordination/Case Management

2. HEDIS Reporting

3. Quality Measure Reporting

• With approximately thirteen months to go, there will be many questions about how to operationalize these mandatory operations exchange purposes as we get closer to the deadline. For example, how will the QHINs manage required exchange purposes that can also have fees associated with them? More to come as I gather some industry input at HIMSS!

What do you think??Please always feel free to email me [email protected]?to give me your input for my Industry Updates.

Marilee Benson

President

Zen Healthcare IT?

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P.S. - We appreciate our clients' confidence in us as their primary interoperability partner. Working with you on a daily basis is truly a privilege. For those who have not yet worked with Zen, we would be delighted to serve as your trusted advisor as you map your path to a more interoperable healthcare ecosystem. Zen's Gemini Integration Platform and optional modules such as Stargate are HITRUST CSF r2 Certified.

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