Making Individual Access Real: ASTP's LEAP Project and TEFCA's Future

 
The Leading Edge Acceleration Projects (LEAP) in Health Information Technology move interoperability from policy into practice by tackling real-world technical barriers limiting adoption and scale. Through LEAP, HIMSS is advancing Individual Access Services (IAS) within the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA). This session will share how LEAP is making individual access operational, scalable, and sustainable by identifying and testing innovative, standards-based approaches to address barriers slowing IAS adoption. The session focuses on three priorities: simplifying identity proofing, improving patient matching using privacy-preserving techniques, and reducing implementation complexity for QHINs, Participants, and IAS Providers. Attendees will learn how LEAP engages implementers, standards organizations, developers, EHR vendors, and patient advocates to validate solutions through sandbox testing and real-world pilots. Presenters will discuss how LEAP outcomes inform future TEFCA guidance, translating federal policy goals into implementable solutions that expand patient access and support nationwide interoperability.