ONC seeks comments on updated interoperability standards guidance

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology yesterday released for comment draft updates to its list of “best available” standards and implementation specifications for interoperable clinical health information technology. “While the standards and implementation specifications included in an advisory may also be adopted in regulation (already or in the future), required as part of a testing and certification program, or included as procurement conditions, the advisory is non-binding and serves to provide…ONC’s assessment of the best available standards and implementation specifications for a given interoperability need,” the draft 2016 Interoperability Standards Advisory states. The updates are based on comments ONC received on its 2015 advisory and recommendations from the Health IT Standards Committee. Comments on the 2016 draft advisory will be accepted through Nov. 6.