Federal regulators are stepping up enforcement of information blocking regulations established by the 21st Century Cures Act, aimed at promoting interoperability of electronic health information. Healthcare providers, certified health IT vendors, and health information exchanges must ensure compliance to avoid potential investigations and penalties from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Despite the longstanding nature of these regulations, their enforcement specifics remain evolving and unclear, complicating compliance efforts. HHS is likely to focus on practices that adversely affect patient care, underscoring the need for transparency and awareness among healthcare stakeholders to prevent inadvertent violations.

Regulators Crack Down on Information Blocking: Healthcare Compliance Urgency Rises BankInfoSecurity

The Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy at the ONC has announced a temporary enforcement discretion for health IT developers, extending compliance deadlines for certification criteria due to a recent government funding lapse that disrupted access to essential online resources. Developers now have until February 28, 2026, to meet the updated requirements of the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability final rule, along with additional leniency regarding certification maintenance for attestations due on October 31. This decision underscores the federal government's recognition of the obstacles that health IT developers face in maintaining compliance and aims to mitigate potential disruptions in healthcare technology advancements. Healthcare professionals should be aware of these extensions as they may impact the implementation and integration of new technologies in their practices.

Health IT Developers Granted Temporary Compliance Extension Amid Federal Website Outage AHA

Tampa General Hospital (TGH) has partnered with Hyro to implement voice AI agents in its call center, resulting in a 56% reduction in call abandonment rates and a 58% decrease in wait times. The AI technology enhances operational efficiency by streamlining administrative tasks like appointment scheduling and prescription management, ultimately improving patient access and experience. Positive outcomes from early implementation, including a 21% increase in scheduled appointments, demonstrate the potential of AI to facilitate more efficient healthcare delivery. This collaboration signals a significant move towards integrating advanced technology in healthcare operations, setting a new benchmark for patient engagement and operational effectiveness.

AI Boosts Tampa Generals Call Center Efficiency, Slashes Wait Times by 58% PR Newswire

The article reports that research by Hoxhunt demonstrates that AI-powered spear-phishing now outperforms human-generated attacks. While AI spear-phishing was 31% less effective than humans in 2023, by March 2025 it was roughly 24% more successful — representing a 55% performance improvement overall. The breakthrough is attributed to “agentic AI,” able to craft personalized phishing emails at scale with greater emotional nuance and targeting precision than earlier AI or human efforts. The findings suggest a sharp escalation in the phishing threat landscape — and underscore the urgent need for organizations and individuals to adapt defenses accordingly.

AI Surpasses Humans in Crafting Unstoppable Spear Phishing Attacks SecurityWeek