Lots of attention is being paid to the HHS Proposed HTI-2 Rule to Improve Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability which was released for public comment in July 2024. But right on its heals, HHS released the Acquisition of Information Technology;
Standards for Health Information Technology (HHSAR Case 2023–001) proposed rule as well. At its core, this relatively short proposed rule would affirm federal procurement rules first issued by a memorandum in December 2022 that would require that procurements of health information technology by the agency would have to meet the requirements of ASTP/ONC promulgated interoperability standards (45 CFR part 170, subpart B) and that acquisitions be certified EHR technology (CEHRT) if relevant (i.e., when the contractor is an eligible professional or hospital as defined by the HITECH Act).
My skeptical self tried to find a reason to be suspicious of the need for this proposed regulation, but, frankly, I really can’t find any reason to object. The Cures Act provides a strong legislative foundation for promoting agreed-upon interoperability standards, and this proposed regulation is just one more example of a consistent application of that objective. From a public health standpoint, this new procurement rule will help ensure that more purchases are standards-based, as the proposed HTI-2 rule works to promote standards within public health system deployments.