Last month, Kno2’s VP of Interoperability, Matt Becker, joined more than 300 organizations and nearly 400 leaders at the CMS Health Tech Ecosystem Connectathon in Washington, D.C. What he witnessed wasn’t just talk and PowerPoints: it was leaders rolling up their sleeves to tackle the operational challenges that have kept health data siloed.
The Problem: Healthcare Data Is Trapped
Despite years of promises about interoperability, your reality looks like this:
- Patients arrive without records, forcing staff to recreate histories from memory
- Care teams make decisions with incomplete information
- Data exists in hundreds of systems that don’t talk to each other
The cost isn’t just operational. It’s clinical. It’s the patient whose allergy wasn’t flagged because their record was at a different health system and the duplicated testing because results couldn’t be retrieved in time. The system has been built on workarounds instead of workflows, making clinicians spend more time chasing information rather than using it in a meaningful way. Until this changes, the promise of truly connected care remains out of reach.
The Plan: A Connected Networks Initiative That Actually Works
CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) is bringing together leaders across the healthcare ecosystem through the Connected Networks Initiative. This CMS Connectathon furthered the momentum that started earlier this summer. HHS Secretary Kennedy Jr. and CMS Administrator Dr. Oz both attended, signaling this isn’t a pilot program or a compliance checkbox. It’s a national priority backed by leadership at the highest levels.
Matt Becker described the energy: “Seeing both Administrator Oz and Secretary Kennedy there, showing a deeper understanding of the work and where it fits into national priorities was incredibly encouraging.”
Their presence underscored that the Connected Networks Initiative aligns with broader public health goals like chronic disease management, obesity initiatives, and improving access to data for patients.
The message was clear: TEFCA is the baseline. We haven’t struggled to make the healthcare system interoperable because of technology; we’ve struggled because we’ve lacked a unified trust framework. Participants didn’t just celebrate. They worked to tackle the operational realities of hitting key milestones by July 2026+. This piece is essential for these initiatives to succeed and for innovation to accelerate.
What We’re Building:
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“Kill the Clipboard”: Patient Access That Actually Works
Imagine your patients walking in with their complete health history already loaded. No clipboard. No redundant intake forms. Just care. The challenge? “There are technical and operational hurdles to overcome,” Matt explained. “Everything from patient authentication, privacy concerns, and what documentation should actually be released.” Major health systems are cautious about risk. CMS is pushing for progress. The tension is productive.
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Patient Matching That Keeps People Safe
You can’t exchange data if you can’t identify patients accurately. Discussions centered on the standards and accuracy levels needed to connect records safely across the nation.
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Conversational AI in Your Workflow
AI will support clinical workflows, but safely. For many underserved segments Kno2 serves, education will be essential. We’ll help partners understand how AI can support care while ensuring it’s used securely.
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A Provider Directory That Finally Works
A consistent, reliable provider directory is foundational. Participants mapped out what standardization must look like to support the ecosystem at scale.
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TEFCA as the Foundation
And at the center of all of this is TEFCA; the shared rules, shared trust, and shared infrastructure that make these goals achievable so innovation can accelerate.
What This Means for You
Here’s what to expect in the coming months:
- Patient Access Requirements Will Intensify
Prepare for:
- Growing requirements around releasing data to patients
- A push toward TEFCA-based patient query workflows
- Increased clarity and accountability around privacy and compliance
- Patient Matching Standards Will Tighten
Kno2 will guide you through:
- New expectations informed by CMS and ONC
- Operational alignment needed for query-based access
- Best practices for accuracy and safety
- AI Will Enter Clinical Workflows (With Guardrails)
Conversational AI will increasingly support workflows, but with clear guardrails and consistent standards.
- We’re Expanding Education
Especially for underserved care environments, Kno2 will expand educational efforts around:
- TEFCA onboarding
- Exchange workflows
- Risk considerations
- Patient matching
- Privacy complexities
- Your Voice Will Shape What Comes Next
Unresolved topics, like the precise scope of July 2026 deliverables, will be shaped by the voices of organizations like yours. Kno2 will make sure you’re heard.
Your Guide Through the Complexity
The Connectathon made one thing certain: this movement is accelerating. And organizations that work through the complexities, not just celebrate the milestones, will shape what national interoperability becomes.
Kno2 is your partner for:
- Advancing the CMS Connected Networks Initiative
- Supporting you through every step of the pledge
- Ensuring interoperability reaches your care setting
- Building technology and workflows that make connected care real
As Matt summarized: “TEFCA is the starting point. Once everyone is playing by the same rules, we can build what comes next for patients, caregivers, and payers.”
From initially pledging to become a CMS Aligned Network, to this Connectathon, and the work ahead, Kno2 is leading the charge toward a future where:
- Communication is simple
- Data flows freely
- Patients benefit from every connection
Ready to join the movement? Click here to learn how Kno2 can help you meet the Connected Networks Initiative requirements and position your organization for success.
