NHIN+Exchange+Dig+Sig+Issue+-+Sunsetting


 * Issue:** What is the NHIN Exchange policy for sun-setting of services?


 * Resolution**: NHIN Exchange sunsetting policy is outlined in the DURSA. The NHIN Exchange governance bodies are given authority by the DURSA to determine the period for adopting an updated/new specification where the change is not considered a "compliance" change.

Below is a summary of the relevant DURSA section as well as the DURSA text itself:

The following is a summary of how the DURSA addresses transition timelines for NHIN participants to implement new specifications or updated versions of existing specifications.  The DURSA describes three potential types of changes to NHIN specifications as part of the NHIN Performance and Service Specification Change Process. These three classifications are based on 1) whether the proposed change is required in order to comply with Federal statutes or regulations or to maintain the stability of the NHIN and 2) whether the NHIN Coordinating Committee determines that the change is material or non-material.  The following summary lists these classifications and the corresponding timelines for NHIN participants to implement new specifications or transition to updated versions of existing specifications for each classification. Please refer to the DURSA for official language and more detailed information about the change process (section 11.03).  All proposed new NHIN specifications or changes to existing NHIN specifications can be classified as follows:  1) **Change for Compliance ** = Changes that are required for compliance with federal statutes/regulations or to maintain the stability of the NHIN //Transition timeline to implement new/updated specifications: // · NTC will provide immediate notification to Participants in the event of this type of change · NTC will not require Participants to implement this type of change before the effective date required by Federal Statute or Regulation  <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">2) **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Non-Material Change, not for Compliance **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> = Changes that are not determined to be material by the NHIN Coordinating Committee and are not required for compliance with federal statutes/regulations or to maintain the stability of the NHIN //<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Transition timeline to implement new/updated specifications: // · <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">NTC will provide Participants notice of the change at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of the change · <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Within fifteen (15) days of receiving notice, a Participant may request the NTC to delay implementing the change · <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">NTC will respond to a request to delay within 7 days of receiving the request <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">3) **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Material Change, not for Compliance **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> = Changes that are determined to be material by the NHIN Coordinating Committee and are not required for compliance with federal statutes/regulations or to maintain the stability of the NHIN //<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Transition timeline to implement new/updated specifications: // · <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">NTC will notify Participants of the proposed Material change via a “notice of Material change” · <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Within 30 days of the notice, Participants may submit written comments to the NTC regarding the proposed Material change · <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Within 60 days of issuing the notice, but not before the end of the 30 day comment period or acknowledgement that all Participants have responded, the NTC will convene a meeting where Participants may present information to the NTC regarding the material change · <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Within 90 days of issuing the notice, the NTC will: 1) evaluate comments and information presented by participants 2) make any necessary revisions to the proposed change and 3) provide participants with “Final Notice” of the material change · <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Participants will have at least 120 Days after the NTC provides “Final Notice” to comply with the change <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The language from the DURSA pertaining to the NHIN Performance and Service Specification Change Process is given below: <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">  <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">11.03. NHIN Performance and Service Specification Change Process. **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">a. Determination of Materiality. **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The NHIN Technical Committee shall provide reasonable advance notification to the NHIN Coordinating Committee of any proposed new, or change to existing, NHIN Performance and Service Specifications. Upon receiving such notification, the NHIN Coordinating Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, whether such proposal is Material. If the NHIN Coordinating Committee determines that the proposed NHIN Performance and Service Specification is not Material, then the NHIN Technical Committee shall follow the change process in Section 11.03(b). If the NHIN Coordinating Committee determines that the proposed NHIN Performance and Service Specification is Material, then the NHIN Technical Committee shall follow the change process in Section 11.03(c).
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">b. Non-Material Changes to NHIN Performance and Service Specifications. **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> The NHIN Technical Committee may implement any new NHIN Performance and Service Specification, or amend, or repeal and replace any existing NHIN Performance and Service Specifications, at any time by providing the Participants notice of the change at least thirty (30) days prior to the effective date of the change so long as the new or amended NHIN Performance and Service Specification is not Material. Within fifteen (15) days of receiving notice of the non-Material change, a Participant may request that the NHIN Technical Committee delay implementation of the change based on unforeseen complications or other good cause. The NHIN Technical Committee shall respond to a request to delay implementation within seven (7) days of receiving the request.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">c. Material Changes to NHIN Performance and Service Specifications. **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> If the implementation of a new NHIN Performance and Service Specification, or change to any existing NHIN Performance and Service Specification, is Material, the NHIN Technical Committee shall notify Participants of the proposed Material change and allow Participants thirty (30) days to submit written comments to the NHIN Technical Committee regarding the proposed Material change. Within sixty (60) days of issuing notice of the proposed Material change, but not before either the end of the thirty (30) day written comment period or acknowledgement that all Participants have responded, the NHIN Technical Committee shall convene a meeting at which the Participants will be allowed to present information on the proposed Material change to the NHIN Technical Committee. Within ninety (90) days of issuing notice of the proposed Material change, the NHIN Technical Committee shall consider and evaluate both written comments received during the comment period and information presented at the meeting, make any revisions to the proposed Material change that are necessary, and provide the Participants final notice of the Material change. Participants shall be given at least one hundred and twenty (120) days after the NHIN Technical Committee provides the final notice to comply with the Material change.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">d. Change Required to Comply with Federal Statutes or Regulations or the Stability of the NHIN. **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> If a new or changed NHIN Performance and Service Specification is required for the NHIN or Participants to comply with Federal statute or regulations or to maintain the stability of the NHIN (e.g. the performance and integrity of data exchanged among NHIN Participants), the NHIN Technical Committee shall seek input from the NHIN Coordinating Committee prior to implementing such change, but is not required to follow the processes required by Sections 11.03(b) and (c). The NHIN Technical Committee shall not require Participants to comply with such new or changed NHIN Performance and Service Specification prior to the legally required effective date of such Federal statutes or regulations. The NHIN Technical Committee shall notify Participants immediately in the event of a change that is required in order to comply with Federal statutes or regulations or to maintain the stability of the NHIN.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">e. Participant Duty to Terminate Participation. **<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> If, as a result of a change made by the NHIN Technical Committee in accordance with this Section 11.03, a Participant will not be able to comply with the NHIN Performance and Service Specifications or does not otherwise desire to continue participating in the NHIN after such change becomes effective, then such Participant shall terminate its participation in the NHIN in accordance with Section 21.02.