The Pew Charitable Trusts sent comments on Dec. 19 to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology applauding efforts to support greater electronic data-sharing among hospitals and clinicians.
Pew encourages the agencies to maintain proposed disincentives for providers who engage in information blocking (any practice that interferes with the access, exchange, or use of electronic health information, except in certain circumstances, such as where it is legally prohibited) to ensure that data is shared with all who have a legitimate need for it, including public health agencies.