Health information orgs blame developers for blocking data-sharing

Health information blocking has been in the federal government's crosshairs since the ONC's rules prohibiting efforts to prevent the exchange of health data took effect in April 2021. Though information blocking has decreased in recent years, health information organizations contend that some actors, particularly certified health IT developers, are continuing to engage in it.  

At the end of last month, ONC released a data brief detailing state, local, and regional health information organizations' perceptions on information blocking. The brief mines the results of the 2019, 2023 and 2025 National Survey of Health Information Organizations to assess practices that HIOs believe may constitute information blocking. The HIOs include health information exchanges and emerging health data utilities.

Overall, the share of HIOs reporting information blocking has decreased from 2019 to 2025. In 2019, 91% of HIOs reported at least one instance of potential information blocking, compared with 71% in 2025.

However, HIOs noted that developers of certified health IT were the main culprit behind potential information blocking. Nearly two-thirds (62%) of HIOs reported that certified health IT developers engaged in information blocking in 2025, compared with hospitals and health systems (49%), national networks (20%) and other HIOs (7%).

According to HIOs, certified health IT developers set unreasonable fees and pricing to potentially block information exchange. While the share of HIOs saying that developers use this tactic has decreased overall, from 81% in 2019 to 59% in 2025, it remains the most commonly reported information-blocking practice. HIOs also cited artificial barriers (40%) and contract language (30%) as tactics developers used in 2025 to block data sharing.  

As for hospitals and health systems, HIOs stated that they use strategic affiliations, such as ownership structures, to potentially hinder data exchange. In 2025, 42% of HIOs said hospitals and health systems used this practice to block information exchange, down slightly from 45% in 2023.

Notably, HIOs reported that information-blocking practices were not widespread among developers. While 55% of HIOs reported potential information blocking by some or most developers in 2019, only 27% did so in 2025.

On the other hand, the share of HIOs reporting that some or most hospitals/health systems engage in information-blocking practices remained steady -- 24% in 2019 and 28% in 2025.  

"Data also show that even though most HIOs report experiencing possible information blocking, a majority of HIOs that experienced potential information blocking indicated that these practices and behaviors are not widespread among hospitals and health systems or developers of certified health IT," the report stated. "Many HIOs, therefore, experienced potential information blocking but increasingly by a smaller group of entities."

Still, potential information blocking significantly impacts information exchange, according to HIOs. About one in five HIOs reported that information-blocking behaviors had a great impact on information exchange. 

"Based on these analyses, deterring the small group of actors who may be engaging in potential information blocking practices including those related to business, market, or other organizational constructs to not share information could make a substantial impact on improving information exchange activity among HIOs and HDUs," the report concluded.

Anuja Vaidya has covered the healthcare industry since 2012. She currently covers healthcare IT and innovation, including artificial intelligence, digital healthcare, EHRs and interoperability.