ONC approves new digital standards to boost healthcare interoperability

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology announced June 30 the approval of five new digital health standards that will allow healthcare organizations to voluntarily upgrade their systems for improved data sharing capabilities. 

The 2025 Standards Version Advancement Process (SVAP) standards become available for voluntary incorporation by health IT developers participating in the ONC Health IT Certification Program beginning August 29, 2025, marking the latest effort to modernize healthcare data exchange across the United States. 

Key Standards Approved

The flagship addition is the United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI) Version 5, which establishes the most current framework for essential health data categories and components needed for seamless nationwide information sharing. 

The complete list of approved 2025 SVAP standards includes: 

• United States Core Data for Interoperability (USCDI), Version 5 

• HL7 FHIR US Core Implementation Guide STU 8.0.0 

• HL7 CDA R2 Implementation Guide: Consolidated CDA Templates for Clinical Notes Edition 4.0 

• 2025 CMS QRDA I Implementation Guide for Hospital Quality Reporting 

• 2025 CMS QRDA III Implementation Guide for Eligible Clinicians 

Flexible Adoption Model

The SVAP framework gives healthcare technology companies the freedom to integrate state-of-the-art standards while maintaining operational flexibility. Organizations choosing to implement these protocols will gain enhanced connectivity with other systems using identical specifications. 

Healthcare providers also backed annual updates to CMS quality reporting architecture standards, which play a vital role for organizations engaged in federal quality measurement programs. 

This announcement continues the agency’s yearly SVAP rhythm, offering a systematic approach to evolving health IT standards while preserving system reliability and giving healthcare organizations control over their modernization schedules. 

Testing infrastructure and certification procedures tailored to these new standards are slated for release by December 2025, supporting developers pursuing fresh certifications incorporating these updated specifications.