Health Information Exchange (HIE)
An organization or infrastructure that enables the electronic sharing of clinical data between healthcare organizations in a region or network.
HIEs come in several models: centralized (data stored in a central repository), federated (data stays at each organization, queried on demand), and hybrid. Common HIE standards include Direct messaging (secure email for C-CDA documents), IHE XDS/XCA for document sharing, and increasingly FHIR-based exchange via TEFCA (Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement). HIEs are key for transitions of care, public health reporting, and care coordination across organizations.
FAQ
- What is TEFCA?
- The Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, a federal initiative to create a nationwide health information exchange network. It defines a common set of rules for participating networks (QHINs) to exchange data.