DirectTrust Releases TNAP Version 2.0 Criteria for TEFCA Participants

DirectTrust, a non-profit healthcare industry alliance created to support secure, identity-verified electronic exchanges of protected health information, has released the TNAP version 2.0 criteria for TEFCA participants.

The TNAP-Participant program version 2.0 criteria is available for public comment through March 20, 2023. The Trusted Network Accreditation Program (TNAP) provides third-party accreditation for healthcare exchange entities such as qualified health information networks (QHINs), participants, health information exchanges (HIEs), accountable care organizations, and data registries.

The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) governs DirectTrust's accreditation and certification programs.

Stakeholders revised the TNAP-Participant accreditation program to address the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE) requirements that Participants and Subparticipants must meet to participate with a QHIN. TEFCA aims to establish a floor of universal interoperability across the country through a network of QHINs.

The Sequoia Project outlines these requirements in the "Summary of Required Flow-Down Provisions and Highlights of Rights and Obligations that Impact Participants and Subparticipants in the Common Agreement Version 1 and QHIN Technical Framework Version 1."

The TNAP-Participant accreditation program provides criteria based on the requirements within the RCE's document. EHNAC intends that accreditation achieved through the program will demonstrate to QHINs the candidate's compliance against TEFCA's Participant requirements.

The open process for adopting criteria will begin on January 17 and end on March 20, 2023.

Earlier this month, DirectTrust announced that EHNAC would merge with and into DirectTrust effective January 4, 2023.

"We're thrilled the long-standing relationship between EHNAC and DirectTrust is reaching its full potential with this merger," Scott Stuewe, DirectTrust president and CEO, said in a public statement at the time of the announcement.

"This unequivocal demonstration of our mutual dedication to facilitating trust will enable both parties to optimize their complementary strengths to create new opportunities for trust and assurance in the healthcare industry, especially in the age of TEFCA," he added.

Lee Barrett, executive director and CEO of EHNAC, and Debra Hopkinson, COO of EHNAC, will continue to work for and consult with DirectTrust. EHNAC staff members and assessors will also join DirectTrust.

The EHNAC Commission will remain intact as Commissioners overseeing accreditation-specific matters.

"This merger of expertise, resources, and technology leverages EHNAC's accreditation programs as a 'recognized security framework' and is an inevitable culmination of the years our organizations have spent ensuring stakeholder trust," said Barrett.

"By combining with the membership, standards development, technical trust, and accreditation capabilities of DirectTrust, we'll be able to further support DirectTrust members, EHNAC-accredited organizations, and the industry as a whole to navigate the privacy and security hurdles that continue to afflict healthcare," he continued.