Promoting Interoperability Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The FAQs below describe how the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) will leverage Meaningful Use (MU) for the benefit of public health.
Public Health Promoting Interoperability (PI) programs (aka MU) FAQs
The following are answers to questions commonly asked by trading partners before and during the onboarding process. If you have additional questions, please contact the Partner Engagement team at MU.Health@tn.gov or submit your questions or feedback using the Office of Informatics and Analytics (OIA) Feedback form. .
Public Health Registry Reporting FAQs
1. How should an Eligible Clinician (EC) determine if there is a specialized registry maintained by a public health agency in Tennessee that is accepting data for Promoting Interoperability?
ECs should refer to the TDH Declaration of Readiness for all public health related objectives, including specialized registries maintained by TDH.
Other Specialized Registry options include, but are not limited to:
Surveys from the National Center for Health Statistics
- National Health Care Surveys
- National Hospital Care Survey (NHCS)
- National Ambulatory Medical Survey (NAMCS)
See also the National Institutes of Health (NIH) list of available registries.
2. How does sharing data from the provider Electronic Health Record (EHR) benefit the state of Tennessee?
Improved accuracy and completeness of all surveillance data impacts all areas of public health interventions designed to reduce incidence of disease or increase early detection. As a result, disparities among various disadvantaged population groups can be identified to develop effective interventions.
3. What kind of documentation will TDH provide to me so that I can use that documentation to attest to Promoting Interoperability?
In Tennessee, the onboarding process to exchange data with TDH begins when a potential trading partner registers with TDH expressing their intent to exchange data electronically. The Trading Partner Registration (TPR) system allows potential trading partners to register for Immunization Messaging, Cancer Case Reporting, Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR), Electronic Case Reporting (eCR), and Syndromic Surveillance Messaging (Eligible Hospitals w/Emergency Room and eligible clinicians (ECs) in urgent care settings), one location - online. The TPR system provides documentation that can be utilized for Promoting Interoperability attestations and allows users to view their progress from end to end, with milestone letters documenting on-boarding progress. TDH will provide official electronic letters documenting completed milestones throughout the on-boarding process in the TPR system. These letters can be used as proof of active engagement documentation for your records.
Providers should retain ALL relevant supporting documentation (in either paper or electronic format) used in the completion of the Attestation Module responses for six years post-attestation. See the CMS’ Audits and Appeals Overview – https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/EHRIncentivePrograms/Appeals_Audits.
4. Who should contact if have questions about a specific Public Health measure?
Public Health Measure options:
a. Cancer Case Reporting send an email to TNCancer.Registry@tn.gov
b. Electronic Case Reporting (eCR) send an email to CEDS.Informatics@tn.gov
c. Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) send an email to CEDS.Informatics@tn.gov
d. Immunization Registry Reporting send an email to TennIIS.MU@tn.gov
e. Syndromic Surveillance Messaging send an email to CEDS.Informatics@tn.gov
For additional questions regarding Public Health reporting, please visit: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/meaningful-use-summary.html or contact the TDH Partner Engagement Team at MU.Health@tn.gov.
5. Does Physician Reporting under MU replace facility reporting?
No. Physician Reporting under Promoting Interoperability does not replace hospital and laboratory reporting requirements. It is important to note that hospitals and laboratories cannot demonstrate cancer reporting under Promoting Interoperability.
6. Can I submit cancer case information even if I don’t directly treat cancer?
No, if an eligible clinician does not diagnose or directly treat cancer then the clinician may not satisfy the cancer reporting menu option.
If the eligible clinician does diagnose or directly treat cancer cases, they must ensure that the EHR software can submit cancer cases and meets 100% of the required certification criteria, CQM domains, and either inpatient or ambulatory CQMs.
Trading Partner Registration (TPR) FAQs
1. What is the Trading Partner Registration (TPR) system?
The TPR system allows potential trading partners to register their intent to electronically exchange data with the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH). TPR also permits potential trading partners to efficiently communicate with TDH and provide TDH with updated information about each trading partner, a necessity for establishing and maintaining electronic interfaces.
2. How can I access the TDH Trading Partner Registration (TPR) system?
To begin the process of registering intent to exchange data with TDH, you must first have a PAAMS/TN.gov account. This account allows you to register for TN.gov services including TDH Trading Partner Registration. Go to https://apps.tn.gov/paams/ to create your PAAMS/TN.gov account.
If you already have a PAAMS/TN.gov account, simply login to https://apps.tn.gov/paams/, click “Add another service” button. Locate TDH Trading Partner Registration in the Reporting and Submissions section and then click continue. You may then login at https://apps.tn.gov/tpr/. New users may be added to both existing and/or newly created accounts by clicking on the “Add Users” button in the PAAMS/TN.gov account.
3. What is PAAMS?
The Portal Admin Account Management System (PAAMS) is the system used for TN.gov services. Your account will allow you to use the TPR system in addition to many other PAAMS/TN.gov web portal systems. If you have an existing account, there is no need to create a new one to use the TPR system.
4. Where can I learn more about each TPR interface?
a. Cancer Case Reporting: https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/tcr.html
b. *Drug Overdose Reporting: https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/office-of-informatics-and-analytics/advance-analytics/drug-overdose-reporting.html
c. Electronic Case Reporting: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/eCR_Fact_Sheet.pdf
d. Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR): https://www.tn.gov/content/tn/health/cedep/meaningful-use-summary/laboratory-result-reporting.html
e. Immunization Registry Messaging: https://www.tennesseeiis.gov/tnsiis/
f. Syndromic Surveillance: https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/office-of-informatics-and-analytics/advance-analytics/drug-overdose-reporting.html
* Not include in Promoting Interoperability programs
5. I don’t see the interface I want to register for, what should I do?
Send an email to the Partner Engagement Team at MU.Health@tn.gov. In the email list the name of the interface you wish to connect to, your name, the name of your organization, and your phone number.
6. What are the different TPR access levels and what does each mean?
- View Access: Users with view access you will be able to view milestones and entity information.
- Edit Access: Users with edit access you will be able to view milestones and edit entity information.
- Approval Access: Users with approval access you will be able to view milestones, edit entity information, and approve user requests to the entity record.
7. What information do I need to complete the registration process?
The information needed to complete the registration process might come from many different sources within your organization and includes:
- Information about your organization
- Information about your system(s) and associated vendor(s)
- Information about your system’s capabilities for the desired interfaces
- Information about the individuals who will be responsible for the testing and validation process as well as a contact from the organization
- Information about your transmittal volume
For further guidance on the information needed to complete registration, refer to the Trading Part Registration Worksheet.
8. What is a classification?
Trading partners are grouped into one of three classifications for the registration process. The classifications help organize trading partners into categories, which is beneficial to maintaining relationships between multiple associated trading partners.
9. How do classifications differ from one another?
A trading partner selects one of three classifications for registration: Organization, Facility, or Professional.
- Organization classification is used by trading partners with multiple locations, potentially carrying multiple affiliated organizations, facilities, and/or professionals.
- Facility classification is used by trading partners that are a single location, potentially carrying affiliated professionals.
- Professional classification is used for trading partners registering as an individual, and the trading partner should be a person; if registered as a professional, the user will only be able to register that professional. No affiliated organizations, facilities or other professionals can be registered underneath a professional in the hierarchy..
10. I don’t fit into any of those classifications, how should I register?
Trading partners may not clearly fall within one of these classifications. In that case, trading partners are advised to register using the organization classification. As the highest level
of classification, an organization could easily register other affiliated organizations, facilities, or professionals later, if necessary.
11. What are “parent” and “child” entities?
“Parent” and “child” are terms the TPR system has adopted to help document various entity affiliations while maintaining hierarchy relationships. To document an affiliation, register your first (“parent”) entity, and then add a “child.” For example, a Health System may be registered as an organization, with multiple hospital locations registered underneath it. In that situation, the Health System is the “parent”, and the hospital locations are “children.”
Although this hierarchy is preserved in the system, each entity has its own demographic, interface, and Promoting Interoperability information, which may differ greatly among related parent/children affiliates.
12. What happens after I complete my registration?
All registrations must be approved by appropriate TDH staff. You will receive an automated email notification once your registration has been approved. TDH program staff will contact you with more information about testing and on-boarding in a separate email. Click the link below for additional information related to on-boarding for each individual interfaces.
https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/meaningful-use-summary/public-health-reporting-options.html
13. How should I structure my organization when registering to exchange data with the immunization registry?
The Immunization Information System (IIS) supports a 2-tier hierarchy of locations - Organization and Facility. Organizations are the top tier and typically identify the legal entity. Facilities are the bottom tier and typically identify physical locations of each provider office or practice. Patients, vaccinations, and the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Provider Identification Number (PIN), if applicable, are at the facility level. An organization may have one or more facilities, but a facility may only be a member of one organization. The Trading Partner must make the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) aware of their hierarchical structure and must notify TDH when this structure changes (for example, when new facilities are added or removed from an organization). Please notify the Tennessee Immunization Information System (TennIIS) team at TennIIS.MU@tn.gov.
14. Who do I contact for general TPR system help?
If you have questions or need general help using the TPR system, contact Partner Engagement Team at MU.Health@tn.gov.
15. Who do I contact if I cannot login to TPR?
For login assistance, contact:
NIC, TN – TN.gov Help Desk
(615) 313-0300 or (866)8TN-EGOV
Email: Apps.Support@TN.Gov.
16. If other people in my organization who need access to these registrations, how do I set that up?
Authorized users may obtain access to your registration by logging in to the TPR system, clicking “Add New Entity”. From there, click “Search for your Records” enter required information, and click “Search for your Records.” Locate the appropriate entity and select the access level. An email notification will be sent to the entity’s admin user for approval or denial of the request. Denied users can request access to an entity’s information again, if initially due to requested level of access: simply adjust the requested access level selection and follow the same steps to re-submit.
Note: Admin users can only approve or deny requests – they cannot change the level of access.
17. I need to update/change information for my previously submitted registration, how do I do that?
An existing registration can be updated at any time by users with Edit or Approval access to that entity. When viewing the submitted registration information, select the File Information tab and click “Edit Information” for the section you wish to edit. Complete all necessary edits and click “Continue,” through to “Complete Registration,” then “Finalize Registration” to exit Edit mode. An email notification will be sent to TDH staff for review.
18. Can an EHR vendor register on behalf of its clients?
Yes – An EHR vendor can register on behalf of their clients; however, EHR vendors must be sure to list points of contact information for their client in the Entity Information and Incentive Program sections of TPR and not list themselves as the point contact for the entity.
19. Can an organization register for multiple facilities?
Yes – TPR allows users to register multiple organizations.
20. Can other organizations registered in TPR see my organizations registration information?
No – The information your organization provides is visible only to you, TDH administrative users, and others you give access to the data.
21. Is TPR only for Promoting Interoperability?
No – All providers who would like to exchange data with TDH for the interfaces that currently utilize the TPR system should use the TPR system register their intent to electronically exchange data, regardless of Promoting Interoperability participation status.
Other Public Health Promoting Interoperability FAQs
Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) Frequently Asked Questions
Syndromic Surveillance FAQs (page 9)
Immunization Registry Submission
If you have any questions or comments you would like to share, click on the link below to enter your information in the Office of Informatics and Analytics (OIA) Feedback form.
Contact Us
For questions regarding Promoting Interoperability programs and/or public health reporting, please contact the TDH Partner Engagement Team at MU.Health@tn.gov.