How the 21st Century Cures Act is Impacting Digital Healthcare

One of modern medicine’s most promising pieces of legislature inched its way toward fruition in December 2016 when the 21st Century Cures Act was signed into law. Designed to spur innovation and accelerate the development of medical products that put the patient at the center of their own care, the Cures Act is rapidly advancing how healthcare operates in the digital age. To help you better understand some of the changes, here’s a closer look at what the Cures Act is and how provisions from the ONC Cures Act Final Rule are transforming digital healthcare. ‍

What is the Cures Act?‍

The Cures Act is intended to stimulate ideas related to new drugs, biological products and medical devices, but the overall aim of the bipartisan legislation is to give more power to the patient. Because it’s a patient-focused law, it could theoretically impact all Americans participating in the healthcare system, including patients, providers, insurance companies and makers of digital healthcare technology.‍

What is the ONC Cures Act Final Rule?‍

The Final Rule is a term used to describe the outcome of legislation after it proceeds through public comment and approval. According to the Cures Act Final Rule, the legislation will cause a shift in policy to focus on a more fluid sharing of health information while also limiting data-blocking practices. Both of these outcomes firmly support the right of patients to access their health information and share that information with providers.

ONC stands for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, the party responsible for governing health information exchange practices in this country. 

According to ONC’s official website for the Cures Act Final Rule, the legislation “calls on the healthcare industry to adopt standardized…APIs, which will help allow individuals to securely and easily access structured electronic health information using smartphone applications.” The rule also requires that patients have access to all their electronic health information (EHI), be it structured or unstructured, at no cost to them.‍

When do provisions of this law go into effect?

‍The Cures Act has been a law for more than five years. But as with any law of this size and scope, a series of steps must take place, with compliance checkpoints and deadlines along the way. We’ve already reached many of the key due dates required of health IT systems. ‍

What does the Cures Act mean for patients and providers?

‍As a patient, the law suggests that you now—or soon will—have more power and access to your own health information than ever before. Using an app like PainScript will give you an idea of how you can seamlessly and easily manage your electronic health information through your smartphone alone, which is one of the goals of the law. 

For providers, the law may have required some adjustment in policies and procedures. But overall, we’re optimistic that more transparency and access to electronic health data can make a positive difference in patient care. That’s why we believe PainScript is a force for better patient care, easier access to health data, and greater communication between patient and provider. 

No matter your place in the healthcare ecosystem, we all can recognize that transparency is a good thing—especially when it involves our health.

Find out how PainScript can make a positive difference in your practice today.