Topic starter
25/06/2026 12:14 am
TL;DR: CMS’s new aligned networks plan aims to simplify healthcare data exchange across 21 networks, 11 health systems, and seven EHR vendors, but experts warn that broader API access can expand PHI exposure if identity assurance, app-level safeguards, and supply-chain controls do not keep pace, according to Imprivata. The governance problem is not interoperability itself but the assumption that easier access can be safely granted without stronger verification and continuous oversight.
Editorial analysis by NHI Mgmt Group, based on content published by Imprivata: “Tech Expert Breaks Down the Security Challenges Attached to the CMS Healthcare Data Sharing Plan”.
By the numbers:
- Healthcare breaches rose 239% between 2018 and 2023, according to the HHS Office for Civil Rights cited by Imprivata.
Key questions
A: They should treat shared PHI as a governed identity problem, not a simple interoperability issue.
Q: Why does API-based healthcare data sharing increase identity risk?
A: Because APIs turn many separate access relationships into a common technical pathway.
Q: What breaks when third-party access to PHI is not offboarded promptly?
A: Delayed offboarding leaves business associates, subcontractors, or integration accounts with access after the business need has ended.
Practitioner guidance
- Tighten API caller verification Require strong identity assurance for every application and service that can request PHI, including explicit client registration and scoped tokens.
- Map partner trust boundaries Document which networks, vendors, developers, and processors can touch PHI so business associate obligations match actual data flow.
- Enforce least-privilege API scopes Reduce default data visibility so each integration receives only the PHI fields and functions it needs for the approved use case.
Bottom line: CMS’s healthcare data-sharing plan increases the importance of identity controls because interoperability expands the number of parties and pathways that can reach PHI.
Explore further
View Full Forum → | NHI Foundation Course → | Our Services → | Read the full analysis →
25/06/2026 9:07 am
Interoperability is not the security problem, but it removes excuses for weak identity controls. When healthcare organisations connect more systems through standard APIs, the real question becomes whether every caller, app, and partner can be verified and constrained with enough precision to protect PHI. The initiative is therefore an identity governance test, not just a data-exchange project. Practitioners should treat each new integration as a control boundary that must be explicitly governed.
A few things that frame the scale:
- 60% of healthcare organisations do not assess a vendor's security before signing a contract that grants access to protected health information, according to Ponemon Institute's 2023 Third-Party Risk in Healthcare report.
A question worth separating out:
Q: How can teams tell whether PHI controls are actually working?
A: Look for proof that sensitive data is discovered quickly, redacted where needed, and accessible only to authorised identities and workflows. Strong programmes can show who accessed e-PHI, where it moved, whether it was masked, and how quickly access was removed after use. If those answers are missing, the controls are mostly theoretical.
👉 Read our full editorial: CMS healthcare data sharing raises PHI identity and API risk