VA and Department of War join the TEFCA national health data network
On Nov. 5, HHS's health IT office (ONC) announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of War (the renamed Defense Department) have joined the TEFCA network. They join the Indian Health Service, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Social Security Administration as federal participants. ONC says nearly 25,000 organizations are live on TEFCA and that more than 2 billion records have been exchanged since December 2023.
Why it's notable: Veterans and service members often get care at both military or VA facilities and civilian hospitals. Joining TEFCA gives civilian clinicians a more standard route to request those patients' records.