The Future of
DirectTrust and EHNAC
EHNAC became part of DirectTrust on January 4, 2023 for broader opportunities for accreditation and technical trust
EHNAC is part of DirectTrust
We’re excited to announce that EHNAC is now part of the DirectTrust family! Both non-profit organizations with similar missions, joining forces strengthens our commitment to facilitating trust and will allow us to broaden industry opportunities.
As long-time partners, we’re thrilled our communities are now together as one. Learn more about what the merger of EHNAC into DirectTrust means operationally by reading the FAQs below. We held an Information Session on Friday December 9 to share more about what this merger means for the healthcare industry, which you can watch here.
Learn more about the Transition
DirectTrust and EHNAC are now one! Watch our pre-merger Information Session to learn more about why EHNAC became part of DirectTrust.
GENERAL
Founded in 1995, the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) is an independent, federally recognized, standards development organization and tax-exempt, 501(c)(6) non-profit accrediting body designed to improve transactional quality, operational efficiency and data security in healthcare.
EHNAC’s mission is to promote accreditation in the healthcare industry to achieve quality and trust in healthcare information exchange through adoption and implementation of standards.
DirectTrust and EHNAC have entered into an agreement for EHNAC to merge with and into DirectTrust. EHNAC will become part of DirectTrust as of January 4, 2023.
EHNAC and DirectTrust have had a longstanding relationship and the two together can create more opportunities for trust and assurance in the healthcare industry. The new combination will create the nation’s premier healthcare-focused non-profit compliance and risk-management partner.
Not at all, in fact, this further strengthens our commitment to trust and diversifies the way we pursue and facilitate that trust.
Both DirectTrust and EHNAC are 501(c)(6) non-profit organizations dedicated to facilitating trust and with an accreditation and standards component.
While EHNAC is primarily an organization focused on accreditation and certification, DirectTrust offers membership services, standards development, trust frameworks and related policy development, and identity-related expertise in addition to accreditation services.
ABOUT EHNAC
EHNAC provides multiple healthcare accreditation programs and HITRUST assessment, SOC certification with its accounting partners, and advisory services. The programs include:
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- Accountable Care Organizations
- CARIN Code of Conduct Accreditation Program
- Data Registry Accreditation Program
- DirectTrust Privacy and Security
- EHNAC Privacy and Security
- e-Prescribing
- Financial Services
- Health Information Exchanges
- Healthcare Networks
- Management Service Organizations
- Outsourced Service
- Practice Management Systems
- Trusted Dynamic Registration and Authentication
- Trusted Network Accreditation Program
EHNAC doesn’t have member organizations, rather, they have Accredited Organizations. For a full list of Accredited Organizations and their status, visit the EHNAC website here.
EHNAC accreditations and certifications will remain valid and renew under the same process as organizations are accustomed to. As we integrate EHNAC into DirectTrust, future accreditations and certifications will come from the EHNAC arm within the overall umbrella organization of DirectTrust. See below for additional information.
While EHNAC is merging into DirectTrust, we plan for the EHNAC name and brand to continue to describe accreditation matters and as the ongoing name of the Commission. Similar to how Standards and Trust Services/Identity are specific bodies within DirectTrust, EHNAC will follow suit.
ABOUT EHNAC’s INCORPORATION INTO DIRECTTRUST
In general, DirectTrust members should expect the same membership benefits and experience they do today. We expect the subset of our members who also pursue and achieve accreditation to experience an improved and streamlined accreditation process with EHNAC joining DirectTrust.
Existing DirectTrust accreditations will continue to be valid and recognized. As EHNAC’s core competency is accreditation, as many DirectTrust organizations begin their accreditation renewal process, it will occur within the EHNAC umbrella within DirectTrust. However, we do anticipate the need for some transition time where we will continue to follow the previous DirectTrust processes.
The DirectTrust processes and invoices will be sent at the time of accreditation application, due on or before eight months prior to the expiration date.
We anticipate transitioning fee structures in late Q2 or early Q3 of 2023, and invoices will be sent out for Fall 2024.
Please reach out to us if you have questions about how your organization may be specifically impacted.
Membership in DirectTrust will continue to remain separate from accreditation. DirectTrust membership offers many benefits, and we encourage EHNAC Accredited Organizations who aren’t currently members to consider joining our membership community, but accreditation does not require DirectTrust membership.
New accreditation programs that have been under development in DirectTrust will get a jump-start from the EHNAC accreditation processes for launching Beta programs. In particular, programs focused on accrediting identity technologies and companies will be early targets.
We’re excited EHNAC’s staff members and assessors will be joining the DirectTrust team! Lee Barrett and Debra Hopkinson have been long standing pillars of the trust and accreditation communities within health IT and have announced their intentions to retire in a couple of years. In the meantime, they will continue to work for and consult with DirectTrust.
Currently the EHNAC Commission functions as the Board of EHNAC. With EHNAC’s incorporation into DirectTrust, the DirectTrust Board of Directors members will continue their role as the Board/Directors, and the EHNAC Commission will be designated as Commissioners overseeing accreditation-specific matters.
TEFCA is predicated on stakeholder trust. Both DirectTrust and EHNAC have existing strategies to support TEFCA coming to fruition, including respectively the issuance of digital certificates and the certification of QHINs to TEFCA policies. The combination of DirectTrust and EHNAC provides further opportunity to support trust and security in nationwide trust frameworks and networks.
Make sure you register and attend our Public Information Session scheduled for December 9th at 12 pm Eastern/9 am Pacific. DirectTrust Members and Accredited Organizations are encouraged to attend their specific Information Sessions as well. Additional questions may be submitted here.
FOR DIRECTTRUST ACCREDITED ORGANIZATIONS
DirectTrust will be adopting the EHNAC fee structure. We invite all DirectTrust Accredited Organizations to attend their specific Information Session for additional information including examples and timing.
Because of the value of independent HIPAA Privacy and Security accreditation/certification, it’s our current intent that this remains separate.