Information Blocking and Interoperability FAQ now available

The ADA has a new fact sheet available for dentists who have questions about a federal rule designed to give patients and providers easier and more secure access to electronic health information.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Technology’s 21st Century Cares Act: Interoperability, Information Blocking and Health IT Certification Program Final Rule is intended to promote health information interoperability and patient access to their records and prohibit information blocking.

The information blocking portions of the rule took effect on April 5 and apply to health care providers, including dentists.

To help dentists understand how this rule could affect them, the ADA has prepared a fact sheet that addresses commonly asked questions, including:

• What is information blocking?
• What is electronic health information?
• What elements are required for a practice to be considered information blocking?

The ADA wrote to the Office of the National Coordinator to request answers to questions raised by many dentists and state dental associations. In response, the ADA received assurance from ONC that the rule will not require dentists and other providers to adopt any specific health information technology. ONC also clarified that dentists and other providers will not be required to proactively make electronic health information available through a patient portal or application programming interface.

Visit ADA.org to download the fact sheet.