MatrixCare Home Health and Hospice is now connected to QHINs
Here’s why TEFCA and QHINs matter for post-acute care.
With the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) and Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs), the way patient data moves across the country is being reshaped. These programs are setting the stage for a more connected healthcare system where everyone, from hospitals to home health to hospice, can share and access data more effectively. That’s why MatrixCare Home Health and Hospice is now connected to the QHIN network.
But what do these programs really mean for post-acute providers? Let’s break it down.
What is TEFCA and why does it matter?
TEFCA is not a single system or a piece of software. It’s a technical governance program that creates conditions for seamless health data exchange. Think of it as the rulebook for how patient data can be securely shared across the nation.
It came out of the 21st Century Cures Act, which called for a standardized approach to nationwide data exchange. After years of rulemaking, TEFCA became official at the end of 2023. By early 2024, the first QHINs were designated, and the first data transactions began. For skilled nursing facilities, MatrixCare was part of the first EHR-to-EHR transaction under this new framework—with MatrixCare Home Health and Hospice now also connected to a QHIN.
The purpose is simple but powerful:
- Create a nationwide model for data exchange
- Set privacy, security, and technology standards
- Make it easier for providers to meet requirements around patient access and information blocking
- Close the gaps that left post-acute care underrepresented in previous interoperability efforts
TEFCA is about building a consistent, trusted way for healthcare organizations to connect and exchange patient information.
The role of QHINs
If TEFCA is the rulebook, QHINs are the players.
QHINs, or Qualified Health Information Networks, are designated organizations that meet strict technical and governance standards. They act as the hubs of this new exchange framework. Once certified, a QHIN can share data with other QHINs and their participants, creating a network-of-networks effect. A variety of organizations have been approved as QHINs including CommonWell, Epic, SureScripts, and many others.
As a variety of QHIN vendors become available, it opens the door for smaller providers and vendors to access more complete patient data. Instead of being limited to one exchange framework like Carequality or CommonWell, participants can now connect across multiple networks under a single umbrella.
For providers, this means fewer blind spots. It means access to a broader range of patient records, not just those within their existing EHR’s exchange network.
Why this is a big deal for post-acute care
Historically, post-acute providers have been underrepresented in interoperability conversations. Most of the momentum lived in acute and ambulatory settings, leaving home health and hospice struggling to get timely access to complete patient data.
That meant referrals could arrive without a clear medication list, allergy information, or a recent history of care. Clinicians were left to piece together critical details.
With TEFCA and QHINs, that gap is starting to close. Post-acute providers can now benefit from:
- Broader access to patient data: More QHINs means more organizations to connect with and more records available.
- Up-to-date information: Clinicians can pull in the latest medication lists or allergy updates to improve safety and quality of care.
- Simplified compliance in healthcare: TEFCA participation helps organizations meet requirements around information blocking and patient access.
- Connected healthcare at scale: Instead of fragmented systems, post-acute providers can participate in the same trusted exchange framework as hospitals and large EHRs.
This shift has the potential to transform how home health and hospice agencies operate.
The compliance connection
TEFCA is not just about making life easier. It’s also about compliance in healthcare.
A major rule tied to TEFCA, known as HT-1, links participation in these frameworks with information blocking requirements. In practice, this means:
- If your organization participates in TEFCA, you’re considered compliant when fulfilling requests from other TEFCA participants.
- Patient-facing apps connected through QHINs can help meet obligations for giving patients access to their own data.
That takes some of the complexity out of regulatory compliance and gives providers a clearer path forward.
Where fast healthcare interoperability resources (FHIR) fit in
No discussion of interoperability is complete without fast healthcare interoperability resources, better known as FHIR.
FHIR is the modern standard for structuring and exchanging healthcare data. TEFCA is expected to incorporate policy and architecture that will help broker FHIR-based exchange, helping to drive more sophisticated and valuable workflows. For providers, that means the data exchanged will increasingly follow a format that is easier to integrate into clinical workflows.
Together, TEFCA and FHIR represent a future where data exchange is not just possible but usable.
What it means on the ground
How does this all play out for a home health or hospice provider?
Picture this:
A new referral comes in. Instead of relying on faxed paperwork or incomplete information, your system queries the QHIN network. Within minutes, you have access to a patient’s medication list, allergy history, and recent encounters.
This saves time. It reduces errors. And it helps clinicians deliver safer, more informed care from the very first visit.
Providers using these networks are already seeing benefits:
- Faster access to supplemental patient data during intake
- More complete clinical records without extra phone calls or chasing down paperwork
- The ability to support smoother transitions of care
The big picture? A shift from reactive to proactive care, powered by better interoperability in healthcare.
Challenges and uncertainties
Of course, this transition is not without challenges.
- Complexity: TEFCA is still new. Understanding how it works and what it requires can be overwhelming.
- Coverage gaps: While adoption is growing, legacy methods of exchange are still running in parallel.
- Evolving rules: Governance and use cases will continue to change, and staying current will be important.
But the direction is clear: The healthcare industry is moving toward more connected data exchange, and TEFCA is leading the charge.
The bottom line for post-acute providers
For too long, post-acute care has been an afterthought in national interoperability strategies. TEFCA and QHINs change that dynamic.
This is a chance for home health and hospice agencies to:
- Gain equal footing with hospitals and acute-care providers in data exchange
- Improve care coordination with timely access to patient data
- Stay ahead of compliance with a clear framework for participation
- Be part of a more connected healthcare system that benefits patients and providers alike
The question now is how to participate effectively. And that’s where MatrixCare comes in.
MatrixCare’s role in the TEFCA era
MatrixCare Home Health and Hospice is now connected to the QHIN network. For providers, that means direct access to more documents from more entities than ever before. Not just those tied to CommonWell or Carequality, but across the broader QHIN ecosystem.
In practical terms, this gives agencies:
- Access to a richer set of patient information to support referrals and first visits
- The ability to query and share data with a wider range of healthcare organizations
- An interoperability framework that makes it easier to connect and communicate across care settings
MatrixCare is not just reacting to TEFCA. We are shaping how it applies to post-acute care. With deep expertise in this space, we act as a trusted advisor to providers navigating evolving regulations. And our commitment goes beyond compliance. Our focus is on better patient outcomes and smoother operations.
TEFCA and QHINs are changing the landscape of interoperability in healthcare. MatrixCare ensures post-acute providers are not only part of that change but ahead of it.
Ready to get connected? Connect with us to learn how.
Chris Pugliese
Chris Pugliese, Director of Product Interoperability, ResMed SaaS. Chris has spent the last decade working with post-acute technology and EMRs, and the last 5 years focused on interoperability. His strength is enabling technology, as well as educating on the growing importance of interoperability and its benefits to the post-acute care settings. In a short time, Chris has become a leader, spearheading integration and interoperability initiatives within and outside of MatrixCare. Recent industry committee roles and responsibilities include: Leadership Team Member for the Post Acute Interoperability Work Group (PACIO), Technical Lead for the Functional Status Subgroup for the PACIO initiative – developing FHIR Profiles for Functional Status, CommonWell Health Alliance Use Case Committee member, CommonWell Health Alliance Specification Workgroup member
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