The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) is seeking comment on the Interoperability Standards Advisory (ISA) in advance of the 2018 Reference Edition publication.
The Interoperability Standards Advisory (ISA) is a dynamic, coordinated catalog of the standards and implementation specifications that can be used to meet interoperability needs in healthcare.
The ISA serves as a way to harness industry input on the interoperability standards that are a best fit for a particular use in health information technology (health IT). This open process allows a full spectrum of stakeholders to continue to make the ISA more detailed and comprehensive each year, said Steven Posnack, Director, Office of Standards and Technology.
Last year, ONC shifted from a static “document-based” ISA to a more interactive online platform, which has allowed for ongoing updates to occur throughout the year, said Posnack.
Before the 2018 “Reference Edition” ISA is published later this year, ONC says it needs help to ensure that it reflects the latest and most accurate information as possible. In addition, ONC has added a number of new components to the ISA, including:
- Consumer-based interoperability needs as recommended by the Health IT Standards Committee, the former Federal Advisory Committee, being replaced by the Health IT Advisory Committee;
- A new section that includes administrative standards and implementation specifications that were developed in coordination with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS);
- Educational and informational resources to allow for better understanding of health IT interoperability concepts
ONC will accept public comments for the Interoperability Standards Advisory until 5 p.m. ET November 20, 2017.
