The recently published fourth version of the U.S. Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) standard includes a new iteration of more health classes and elements that are improving the exchange of electronic health information for better equity across the healthcare ecosystem.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) adopted the standard in May 2020 through the 21st Century Cures Act. Since then, ONC continues to update and expand its data elements and classes annually.
To make USCDI data interoperable, it must be exchanged using a couple of different required exchange methods. That includes exchanges using the consolidated clinical data architecture documents, [clinical document architecture] for a variety of different ways of exchanging documents, along with using FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) to exchange data that's in USCDI.
The updated version continues to focus on patient-centered data and quality measurement to further health equity goals. It has added data elements that address certain policy priorities like health equity disparities, underserved communities, behavioral health, behavioral health integration, and public health data requirements.
In addition to expanding the USCDI data classes and elements to address patient access and care needs, many of the added elements are also meant to mitigate health and healthcare inequities and disparities, address the needs of underserved communities, and support public health interoperability needs of reporting, investigation, and emergency response.
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