Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts
Congress authorized ONC to develop TEFCA in the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016, and the nonprofit Sequoia Project is the official “recognized coordinating entity” charged with developing, implementing, and maintaining the Common Agreement. Within two years of TEFCA’s launch in 2022, QHINs covering most U.S. hospitals and tens of thousands of providers in every state have signed up to participate in TEFCA-based data exchange. In 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) started funding Public Health Data Modernization Implementation Centers to help public health agencies join QHINs and get real-time data from health care providers to inform local decision-making and interventions that improve community health. By next year, CDC will help public health agencies use TEFCA to collect case report data and for case investigations by providing technical assistance. Early adopters—including the health departments for Alaska, Washington, and Southern Nevada—will provide valuable lessons for their peers.