EPISODE
07

The New Rules of Data Sharing

Federal officials recently announced new rules for the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA). That’s big news for data interoperability. It also elevates the exchange of HEDIS quality data to an eminent position. Two NCQA experts explain what it all means.

About The Guests

Eric Musser, MPH
Vice President, Federal Affairs, NCQA

Eric Musser, MPH is the Vice President for Federal Affairs at NCQA. He works with CMS, ONC, Congress and other federal stakeholders to advance national health care quality priorities. Before joining NCQA, he held roles at the CDC and Emory Healthcare, and was a health care administrator with a group of primary care practices in Philadelphia. Eric’s passion for quality and improving patient experience is the result of his own 30-year journey through the American health care system. Eric holds an MPH from Emory University and a BA in sociology and health policy administration from Penn State.

Amol Vyas
Vice President, Interoperability, NCQA

Amol Vyas is NCQA Vice President of Interoperability. He drives NCQA’s interoperability strategy and NCQA’s work with external partners that set information technology standards. Amol has over two decades of experience in enterprise information technology, with lead roles in strategy, architecture and implementation. He is the former Chief Architect for Interoperability at Cambia Health Solutions, a parent company of health plans. Prior to that, he was part of the MedicaLogic team that developed Logician Enterprise, one of the world’s first Electronic Medical Record systems. Amol also led development of the Common Payer Consumer Data Set and the CARIN FHIR Implementation Guide for Blue Button, a resource that many federal health care mandates reference.

Episode Description

In this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds delves into the transformative impact of the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) on health care data interoperability. Joined by Amol Vyas, NCQA Vice President of Interoperability, and Eric Musser, Vice President of Federal Affairs, the discussion uncovers how TEFCA is reshaping the landscape of health information exchange.

Amol explains TEFCA’s function as a voluntary, national network (analogous to the postal service in its role as a connector) and highlighting implications for the free flow of HEDIS data. Eric provides insight into TEFCA’s bipartisan roots in the Cures Act of 2016, emphasizing TEFCA as a model of public-private partnership and standards-based improvement.

I think TEFCA has kind of been the underdog in health policy for a while now. Value-based care, patient safety, whole-person care—all those things are salient topics that are brought up a lot.

I think TEFCA is about to have its moment, and I’m excited to see it come to greater fruition. I’m happy to see all the progress we’ve made.

It’s going to take a full government, full industry approach to make this work for people. And I think we’re well on our way.

Eric Musser

Timestamps

(00:28) Understanding TEFCA
(01:42) New SOPs and Their Impact
(06:36) Public Policy Perspective on TEFCA
(10:00) Public-Private Partnership in TEFCA
(12:10) Looking Ahead with TEFCA

Newsletter

Subscribe to get new episodes directly to your inbox