WASHINGTON – A Health and Human Services Department advisory panel has stepped up its efforts to identify standards and services that would open up the nationwide health information network to providers who need simple ways to share health data.

Providers as well as states need advice on how to set up health information exchange systems as soon as possible, said David Blumenthal, MD, the national coordinator for health information technology. His office recently announced financial awards to state organizations to develop health information exchange systems.

"I don't have to tell you about the pressure that organizations and providers in the field are under to exchange information," he said at a meeting of the Health IT Policy Committee Feb. 17.

"States and state organizations are hungry for guidance on how they should use the funds that are becoming available for planning to expedite health information exchange."

Under meaningful use requirements for 2011, providers must be able to share patient data electronically with other providers, pharmacies or test labs.

The nationwide health information network (NHIN) is a set of policies, standards and services that enable organizations to securely exchange health information over the Internet.

Providers lack technical means

However, many providers do not have the technical means to use the NHIN. To date, NHIN development has focused on more sophisticated tools for health information exchange, such as the federally developed Connect portal software.

"Many providers will likely need an enabling technology or support" to meet information exchange requirements for meaningful use in 2011, said David Lansky, chairman of the policy committee's NHIN work group. Lansky is also chief executive officer of the Pacific Business Group on Health.

Over the next few weeks, he said his workgroup would make recommendations for handling provider identity and addressing, authentication and identity assurance, and secure information sharing and routing, he said.

Secure Internet transport and directories that supply provider routing and addressing information would support the broadest range of providers, Lansky said.

Providers need the means to validate the identities of those involved in an exchange. And no matter the complexity of the exchange, standards that foster confidence in the exchange are critical, he added.

Lansky said the workgroup planned to finish recommendations to the policy committee for authentication in March, directories in April, a trust fabric in June and governance by September.

A variety of organizations could provide the services, such as health systems, vendors and health information exchange service providers. Lansky said that his work group would coordinate with states on setting up the services.