Most healthcare providers will be required to have the ability to send, receive, and use a common set of electronic information by the end of 2017 under a "version 1.0" interoperability road map released by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). The extensive road map and accompanying standards advisory seek to build on regional successes in information sharing by establishing a nationwide standard. The standards advisory, for example, details what ONC identified as the best available implementation standards for achieving interoperability as of December 2014. In addition to the technical standards, the road map lays out four additional "core building blocks," including certification to support adoption and optimization of health information technology (IT) products and services; privacy and security protections for health information; supportive business, clinical, cultural, and regulatory environments; and rules of engagement and governance. Electronic health record (EHR) interoperability has long been heralded as a key health IT goal, most recently highlighted in an October 2014 ONC report (see the October 22, 2014, HRC Alerts). Additional coverage is provided in a January 30, 2015, Modern Healthcare article and January 31, 2015, Modern Healthcare podcast interview with ONC director Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc. Comments can be submitted on the road map through April 3, 2015, and on the standards advisory through May 1, 2015.

HRC Recommends: Interoperability remains a key national health IT goal, and it is seen as necessary to tap the full potential of EHR systems to improve care consistency and patient safety. However, it remains a time-consuming and costly initiative. Risk managers should be aware of how protected health information is used and shared by their organization and help ensure compliance with privacy and security rules. With the introduction of ONC's version 1.0 road map, health IT providers and consumers share a common reference tool with regard to interoperability implementation, and risk managers can work with appropriate parties in their organizations to ensure that contracts with EHR vendors address the issue appropriately.