What TEFCA means for independent practices

How TEFCA supports EHR interoperability and improves patient data access for small practices

Sharing patient data between systems can often feel like playing endless rounds of phone tag — messages sent, lost in the ether, and eventually, you’re left with incomplete, outdated information. It’s frustrating, right? And the worst part? It feels like healthcare data exchange has been stuck in this loop for years.

The good news is that the healthcare industry is moving toward more seamless and secure data exchange, and the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement™ (TEFCA) is emerging as a foundational part of the transformation toward true interoperability.

If you’re running a small or independent practice, you might think this is something just for large hospitals or health networks. But here’s the reality: for small to mid-sized independent practices, TEFCA isn’t merely a regulatory milestone; it’s a strategic opportunity for better care coordination, easier patient access, and a more connected healthcare experience.

So, what does TEFCA really mean for your practice? And how can you guarantee your technology is ready for this new era of interoperability?

TEFCA in plain terms: What it is and what it’s not

At its core, TEFCA is about simplifying how patient data is shared across healthcare systems — consistently, securely, and without the hassle of multiple logins. Managed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), TEFCA establishes a single, nationwide framework for data exchange. This framework outlines the policies and technical standards that guide how healthcare organizations and their technology partners can securely share data across disparate systems.

It’s important to note that TEFCA itself is not a health information exchange, a database, or a tool you log into directly. Instead, it creates the rules, governance, and infrastructure that enable Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs) and connected health IT platforms to exchange clinical information securely and in real-time.

Think of it as building a network of roads, signs, and traffic rules that help different systems and practices share patient data without unnecessary detours. This standardized approach ensures that healthcare settings like clinics, hospitals, labs, and public health agencies can share data securely, creating a more connected experience for both providers and patients.

Why smaller, independent practices shouldn’t sit this out

Interoperability has been a persistent challenge for independent practices. Many find themselves left out of broader data-sharing networks or forced into EHRs built for the acute care setting, often due to vendor limitations or the technical complexities of integration. But with TEFCA, this is changing.

TEFCA aims to level the playing field by making it easier for independent practices to connect with other providers, hospitals, and public health networks. By standardizing the data exchange process, it takes the hassle out of accessing critical patient information. No more struggling to get the data you need, regardless of your practice’s size or system.

Here’s why TEFCA matters to medical practices of all sizes:

• Coordinate care more efficiently: TEFCA lets systems share patient data consistently and reliably. You’ll spend less time faxing, requesting records, or tracking down missing information, and receive more complete data when you need it.
• Help improve patient outcomes: When care teams work from the same information, it’s easier to avoid duplicate tests, medication conflicts, or delays in treatment.
• Reduce administrative friction: More automated and standardized data exchange can reduce repetitive data entry and manual uploads, so your team spends more time on patients.
• Give patients more control over their data: With TEFCA-aligned Individual Access Services (IAS), patients can retrieve their records from multiple sources, supporting continuity, second opinions, and trust.
• Keep up with rising patient expectations: Patients increasingly expect their data to follow them wherever they go. With TEFCA, you can offer data access that meets these expectations, helping your practice stay competitive.

The takeaway? Sharing information through the Trusted Exchange Framework is modernizing the way we exchange critical patient data.

What your practice should be asking right now

You don’t need to become a policy expert or connect to TEFCA directly. But you do need to confirm your health IT vendor is participating in a TEFCA-designated QHIN and that your tools have the right capabilities to support TEFCA-compliant data exchange.

Here’s a few questions to ask your EHR vendor:

• Are we connected to a TEFCA-designated QHIN?
• Do we support real-time, secure record exchange with other EHRs?
• Can our patients access records across multiple providers through IAS?
• What’s the timeline for full TEFCA enablement — and what’s required from our team?
• Can you describe how data will be incorporated into our daily workflows?

By asking these questions, you can make sure your practice is ready for the future of interoperability and that you’re not left behind.

Is athenaOne® TEFCA enabled?

Short answer: Absolutely!

athenaOne is fully aligned with TEFCA through CommonWell Health Alliance, a federally designated Qualified Health Information Network. As founding members of CommonWell, we’ve been enabling nationwide data exchange for over a decade, long before TEFCA came into play.

With athenahealth, your practice automatically connects to this secure, nationwide network that enables real-time exchange of patient records across different EHR systems — all without extra work or cost on your part. There’s no need to request anything or worry about additional fees; connection via TEFCA is all automatic. While other vendors may require practices to manage and pay for integrations, we make it easy.

athenahealth is among the first EHR vendors to operationalize TEFCA at scale, leading the way for nationwide interoperability and ensuring that practices can thrive in this next phase of patient-centered, data-driven care.

Currently, more than 3,000 athenaOne providers are connected through this infrastructure, and we anticipate full TEFCA integration across all practices by the end of 2025. athenahealth is among the first EHR vendors to operationalize TEFCA at scale, leading the way for nationwide interoperability and ensuring that practices can thrive in this next phase of patient-centered, data-driven care.

TEFCA is here. athenahealth is ready, so your practice can be, too

Healthcare is moving fast, and data-sharing can’t lag behind. TEFCA does more than fix broken communication between systems, it’s a step toward care that’s more connected, less fragmented, and built around the patient.

And with athenahealth, you don’t need to navigate TEFCA alone. We’ve done the work to help your practice connect through the right networks, meet patient expectations, and spend less time chasing records and more time providing care.

Want to learn more about athenaOne’s approach to TEFCA and interoperability? Explore our interoperability resources to see how we’re helping practices like yours stay connected, all without adding more to your to-do list.