TEFCA Implementation Roadmap: 2025 Priorities and Future Plans

TEFCA™ Charts course for enhanced Interoperability in the Second Half of 2025

As the healthcare landscape continues its rapid evolution, the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA™) is solidifying its strategic priorities for the remainder of 2025, aiming to drive greater openness, broaden participation, and bolster the engagement of federal partners.

Boosting Transparency for Wider Input

A cornerstone of TEFCA’s upcoming initiatives is a commitment to increased transparency. Moving forward, draft TEFCA work products will be accessible for public comment, ensuring all stakeholders have an equitable prospect to contribute their insights. The draft Qualified Health facts Network® (QHIN™) Technical Framework (QTF) v2.1 is currently open for feedback until July 28th, marking the initial step in this more inclusive approach. Beyond specific document reviews, TEFCA plans to cultivate broader engagement opportunities for non-participants and enhance visibility into the network’s participation and governance structures.

Accelerating Participation and Network Utilization

While scaling treatment exchange and individual access services remains a key objective, TEFCA is equally focused on expanding the network’s reach and live use for all authorized exchange purposes. This includes payment, healthcare operations, government benefits determination, and public health initiatives. With the infrastructure in place for both document-based and the more recent FHIR®-based queries via TEFCA-trusted FHIR apis,the path to production is becoming clearer. To facilitate this growth,TEFCA intends to launch short-term connectivity pilots,particularly targeting payers and providers,to guide interested parties in establishing their presence on the network. Additionally, a newly released information blocking FAQ from HealthIT offers crucial guidance to developers of certified health IT and QHIN choices.

Strengthening Federal Partnerships for National Interoperability

TEFCA is poised to substantially support its federal partners, including key agencies such as the Social Security Governance, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, National Institutes of Health, and the Indian Health Service. The framework is designed to meet the mission needs of these vital organizations and plays a critical role in advancing nationwide interoperability, as mandated by the 21st Century Cures Act.

While acknowledging TEFCA’s unique position in enabling nationwide connectivity and simplifying participation through a unified set of policies and oversight, the initiative recognizes that it is not the solitary solution for interoperability. Existing value-add health information exchange activities at all levels are essential and will continue to be supported and expanded. TEFCA’s strength lies in its ability to provide a standardized, cost-effective approach to nationwide exchange when scale is paramount.

The association expressed gratitude for the comments received on the joint request for information issued with CMS, noting that these submissions are being carefully reviewed to inform TEFCA’s policy and program implementation efforts.

What specific steps are QHINs taking to enhance their security protocols in preparation for TEFCA accreditation?

Understanding the Current TEFCA Landscape

The Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) is rapidly evolving, aiming to establish a universal floor for nationwide health details exchange (HIE). As of July 2025, the focus is shifting from initial framework establishment to robust implementation and scaling. This means moving beyond simply having a framework to actively using it to improve patient care, reduce administrative burden, and foster innovation in healthcare. Key terms driving this phase include interoperability,health data exchange,national health information network,and patient access to data.

2025 Implementation Priorities: A Deep Dive

Several core priorities are dominating the TEFCA implementation roadmap for the remainder of 2025. These aren’t isolated tasks; they’re interconnected components crucial for success.

QHIN Accreditation & Onboarding: Qualifying health Information Networks (QHINs) are the backbone of TEFCA. 2025 sees a surge in QHIN applications and the rigorous accreditation process managed by The Sequoia Project. Expect increased scrutiny on technical capabilities, security protocols, and adherence to the TEFCA Common Agreement. Accomplished QHIN onboarding is paramount.

Universal Floor 2.0 Development: the initial “Universal Floor” defined minimum requirements for exchange. Version 2.0, anticipated in late 2025, will address gaps identified during early implementation, focusing on enhanced data quality, standardized data formats (like FHIR), and improved dispute resolution mechanisms.FHIR interoperability will be a central theme.

Data Use Agreements (DUAs) & Governance: Clear,standardized DUAs are essential for governing data exchange between QHINs. 2025 efforts concentrate on refining DUA templates, streamlining the negotiation process, and establishing robust governance structures to ensure responsible data handling. This includes addressing patient privacy concerns and adhering to HIPAA regulations.

Scaling Patient Matching: Accurate patient identification is basic to effective HIE. TEFCA relies on cross-network patient matching services. 2025 priorities include expanding the reach of these services, improving matching accuracy, and addressing challenges related to demographic data variations. Patient identity resolution is a critical area.

Promoting Provider Adoption: TEFCA’s success hinges on widespread provider participation. Efforts in 2025 focus on educating providers about the benefits of TEFCA, simplifying the onboarding process, and integrating TEFCA-enabled exchange into existing clinical workflows. EHR integration is key.

Future Plans: Looking Beyond 2025

The TEFCA roadmap extends far beyond 2025, with aspiring plans to transform health information exchange.

Expansion of Data Types Exchanged: Currently, TEFCA primarily focuses on clinical data. Future plans include expanding the scope to encompass social determinants of health (SDOH), behavioral health data, and patient-generated health data (PGHD). This requires addressing data standardization challenges and ensuring data privacy.

Advanced Analytics & Population Health: Aggregated, de-identified data exchanged through TEFCA holds immense potential for population health analytics and research. Future plans involve developing secure data analytics platforms and establishing data governance policies to support responsible data use.

Integration with Value-Based Care Models: TEFCA can facilitate data sharing necessary for successful value-based care arrangements.Future plans include aligning TEFCA functionalities with the requirements of various value-based care programs.

enhanced Patient engagement Tools: Empowering patients with greater control over their health information is a core principle of TEFCA. Future plans involve developing patient-facing tools that allow individuals to access, manage, and share their data securely. Patient portals and mobile health apps will play a crucial role.

Addressing Cybersecurity threats: As the national health information network grows, so does the risk of cyberattacks.Continuous investment in cybersecurity infrastructure and threat detection capabilities is paramount. Data security remains a top priority.

Benefits of a Successfully Implemented TEFCA

The potential benefits of a fully implemented TEFCA are substantial:

Improved Care coordination: Seamless data exchange enables providers to have a more complete picture of a patient’s health history, leading to better-informed decisions and improved care coordination.

Reduced Administrative Costs: Streamlined data exchange reduces the need for manual data entry and reconciliation, lowering administrative costs for providers and payers.

Enhanced Patient Safety: Access to accurate and timely information reduces the risk of medical errors and adverse events.

Accelerated Research & Innovation: Access to aggregated data facilitates research and innovation in healthcare.

Greater Clarity & Patient Empowerment: Patients have greater control over their health information and can actively participate in their care.

Practical Tips for Stakeholders

For Providers: Begin exploring TEFCA-enabled HIE solutions and assess your current EHR’s interoperability capabilities. Prioritize staff training on