In final changes to its payment program for acute care and critical access hospitals in 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) included policies to advance nationwide health information exchange, also known as interoperability of electronic health records. Reporting measures included in the 2023 Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program require hospitals to use certified health IT to capture and share public data – e.g., immunization reporting, syndromic surveillance, reportable lab tests and results, case reporting – that support nationwide early warning of emerging outbreaks and threats, faster public health response, and greater visibility into immunization uptake which, in turn, can inform tailored vaccine distribution strategies.
