Comments due to ONC today on NwHIN HIE Specifications

This showed up in my inbox today.  If you have implemented the NwHIN Exchange Specifications in the US, or XCA, XDS or XDR Internationally, the Office of the National Coordinator would like to hear from you, and the deadline is today.  Answer as many of their questions as you can.  The key questions are also listed below.  Please help if you can.  I'm certain this input will impact Health Information Exchange in the US.

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Do you want to shape the official recommendations made to ONC about the readiness of Exchange specifications to be adopted nationally?

Well - here is your chance!  It is imperative that the HIT Standards Committee hears from you.  There is only 1 day left to comment.

Please take a minute and respond to a few short questionsby 5 pm ET on 12/15 by:

 - Posting comments here - http://healthit.hhs.gov/blog/faca/ - under HITSC input on Exchange Specifications; OR

 - E-mail your responses to:  ONC.request@hhs.gov - with “NwHIN Power Team” in the subject line.

I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for you to comment. 

Key questions to address (please respond to some or all) - 1-4, 10, 11 and 13.

The key questions are posted here for your ease of reference:


1.      Please identify yourself, your organization, and your position within the organization.


2.      When did your organization implement the Exchange specifications?


3.      Why did your organization implement the Exchange specifications?   Are the functional capabilities that Exchange provides adequate for your current and expected information-exchange purposes?


4.      Which Exchange specifications did you implement?


10.  Did you implement these specifications as prescribed, or did you make some adjustments for your environment?  If the latter, what adjustments did you make at the time of initial implementation or have you made since?  Were these adjustments made through bilateral agreements or did they apply to all participants in your exchange?


11.  How easy or difficult were the Exchange specifications to understand, interpret, and implement?   Compared to other service-oriented implementations you’ve been involved with, was Exchange easier, harder, or about the same level of complexity?


13.  How many hours of technical time did the project entail before reaching full interoperability?

Thank you!