The Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT has issued guidelines for statewide health information exchanges that have launched or are starting services that use the Direct Project secure messaging protocol.

In response to ONC's request for comments on the nationwide health information exchange, The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives shared its belief that NwHIN governance is "being unduly rushed" (pdf).

The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology has submitted comments on the request for information on governance of the Nationwide Health Information Network and questioned the role of the ONC.

Health information exchange is becoming increasingly more important as a higher percentage of hospitals attests to meaningful use of electronic health records and begins to prepare for meaningful use stage 2. By connecting healthcare providers across a range of locations, HIE has the potential to aid transitions of care, reduce duplication and improve population health. Colin Barry, CEO of health information systems provider MEDfx, discusses four current HIE trends that will affect hospitals and healthcare delivery networks in 2012.

Federal health IT organizations are calling for user feedback on the specifications of the Nationwide Health Information Network, according to the Federal Advisory Committee blog post.