360X
360 Exchange for Closed Loop Referrals, called 360X for short, is a set of protocols and standards for exchanging health information. The primary goals of 360X are to enhance communication across care transitions to improve the quality and efficiency of care, decrease provider and staff documentation burden, and decrease cost by eliminating duplicate or unnecessary testing.
A primary challenge in patient care today is the lack of communication and information flowing between providers. 360X addresses this challenge through workflows that “close the referral loop”. This means that when information is sent from a primary care provider to a specialist using 360X, the PCP will receive information back from the specialist.
360X works by using Direct Secure Messaging as the transport standard to “push” information between care teams. 360X for Referral Management is an IHE approved profile. Because 360X uses existing standards like the Direct Standard®, there’s a low bar for development to implement the 360X profile.
The most recent information about 360X can be found through ONC’s 360X page. Currently the 360X group is focusing on adoption of 360X for referrals and working on additional use cases related to long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC), as well as community based organizations (CBO).
