TNAP accreditation ensures adherence to security, privacy, regulatory compliance and rights management, including compliance with new privacy regulatory requirements
EAST LANSING, Michigan – January 27, 2020 – Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services (MiHIN) announced it has achieved full accreditation with the Trusted Network Accreditation Program (TNAP) from the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC). TNAP accreditation leverages existing industry-wide identity verification, authentication, and privacy/security frameworks and directly aligns with the development of the 21st Century Cures Act including the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) and promotes interoperability, assuring the security and privacy of trusted networks, and the use of enabling technologies in the healthcare ecosystem.
Through EHNAC’s comprehensive third-party review, MiHIN was evaluated in areas of security, privacy, regulatory compliance and rights management, including compliance with new privacy regulatory requirements. Upon completion of the rigorous accreditation process, the organization demonstrates to its constituents, adherence to strict standards and participation in the comprehensive, objective evaluation of its business.
“As regulatory concerns continue to be front and center on the minds of healthcare leadership, a company’s decision to take the necessary steps to ensure trust within its stakeholders and customers that they’re adhering to the latest standards in privacy, security and confidentiality is an important accomplishment in today’s healthcare ecosystem. TNAP enables new data paradigms to resolve the traditional roadblocks to interoperability and consumer empowerment while, at the same time, addressing regulatory requirements,” said Lee Barrett, executive director and CEO of EHNAC. “Attaining TNAP accreditation demonstrates MiHIN exceeds industry-established standards and assures a trusted environment where privacy and security requirements are maintained. We commend MiHIN on attaining this important accreditation.”
The accreditation process examined the identification of data flows of confidential information such as Admission, Discharge, Transfer Notifications (ADT) within MiHIN as well as with business partners outside of MiHIN; verification of appropriate Business Associate Agreements are in place with all relevant entities; review of HIPAA privacy policies and procedures; review of HIPAA security safeguards in place including administrative, technical and physical; review methods of secure transmission of data; review of customer service metrics; validation of accuracy of transaction exchange; validation of system availability and capacity metrics; validation of compliance with industry standards; review of information technology security best practices; review of industry-specific best practices; review of disaster recovery and business continuity processes; review of workforce training; and review of personnel qualifications.
“Gaining TNAP accreditation is a critical step in the advancement of ADTs nationwide,” said Tim Pletcher, DHA, executive director, MiHIN. “ADT notifications are widely regarded as a keystone for improving patient care coordination through the exchange of health information. ADT notifications assist care teams in coordinating patient care, as well as prevents avoidable emergency department visits and readmissions, keeps patient information updated, and assists in reporting public health outbreaks. In Michigan, more than 2.6 billion ADT messages have been exchanged since 2012.”
As the healthcare industry moves towards an interoperable framework on a national level, accreditation from TNAP is imperative for standing up a Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN), which is being pursued by The MiHIN Group. “We are extremely pleased with MiHIN achieving TNAP accreditation,” said Doug Dietzman, executive vice president, US QHIN. “This is exactly the type of endorsement our participants expect as we progress toward offering a robust QHIN suite of services.”
About MiHIN
MiHIN, part of the MiHIN Group, was founded in 2010 and serves as Michigan’s state-designated entity to improve healthcare quality, efficiency, and patient safety by sharing electronic health information statewide and helping reduce costs for patients, providers, and payers. MiHIN is a non-profit, public-private collaboration that includes stakeholders from the State of Michigan, Health Information Exchanges serving Michigan, health systems and providers, health plans/payers, pharmacies, and the Governor’s Health Information Technology Commission. The MiHIN Group also includes Velatura Public Benefit Corporation, the Interoperability Institute and Great Lakes Health Connect. Combined these organization offer a comprehensive interoperability strategy, a product and services portfolio that continues to transform healthcare and health information exchange in Michigan and across the nation. For more information, visit https://mihin.org.
About EHNAC
The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) is a voluntary, self-governing standards development organization (SDO) established to develop standard criteria and accredit organizations that electronically exchange healthcare data. These entities include accountable care organizations, data registries, electronic health networks, EPCS vendors, e-prescribing solution providers, financial services firms, health information exchanges, health information service providers, management service organizations, medical billers, outsourced service providers, payers, practice management system vendors and third-party administrators. The Commission is an authorized HITRUST CSF Assessor, making it the only organization with the ability to provide both EHNAC accreditation and HITRUST CSF certification.
EHNAC was founded in 1993 and is a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. Guided by peer evaluation, the EHNAC accreditation process promotes quality service, innovation, cooperation and open competition in healthcare. To learn more, visit www.ehnac.org, contact info@ehnac.org, or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
###
Press contact information:
Alyssa Jones
Public Relations Manager
Michigan Health Information Network Shared Services
269.832.8353
alyssa.jones@mihin.org