What is information blocking?

Information blocking refers to practices that interfere with the access, exchange, or use of electronic health information. It can hinder patients' ability to access their own health data, or obstruct healthcare providers from sharing necessary information. This can occur due to technical barriers, contractual restrictions, or disincentives created by certain business practices.

The focus is on ensuring that health information is broadly available and accessible to authorized users without unnecessary obstacles. By addressing information blocking, the healthcare industry can improve the flow of data, enhance patient care, and enable better coordination among providers. Recognizing information blocking and its implications is crucial in today's health information landscape, especially with the push towards interoperability and improved health outcomes.

The other options refer to different aspects of health information management but do not accurately define what information blocking is. For example, while there are requirements for data sharing and state laws related to health information, they are not synonymous with the practice of information blocking itself.