TEFCA and eCR
The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) is initiating the process to formally opt-in as a participant to the eHealth Exchange (eHX) Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN) under the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA). This aligns with the TEFCA vision of connecting healthcare organizations and public health authorities through a standardized framework for secure data exchange.
APHL acts as an authorized agent on behalf of healthcare organizations to disclose electronic initial case reports (eICRs) to the appropriate public health authorities, in full compliance with applicable state reporting requirements. Currently, the legal framework that supports the transmission of eCR data from healthcare organizations to public health authorities via the AIMS Platform comes, in part, through an existing eHX partnership and under the terms of the Data Use and Reciprocal Support Agreement (DURSA).
APHL's decision to add a legal and technical relationship to the eHX QHIN will not disrupt or alter the existing flow or type of eCR data for state, Tribal, local, and territorial public health authorities – with this transition, no effort or further legal work is warranted.
