The 21st Century Cures Act: Why Information Blocking Rules Exist and What Practices Need to Know Today

For many years, medical practices relied on workflows that were familiar but inefficient. Imaging studies were stored on local servers. Patients were asked to pick up CDs. Referring providers waited days or weeks for access to prior exams. Requests were handled manually, often competing with already strained administrative staff.

While these processes were common, they created persistent challenges:

• Delays in patient care
• Fragmented access to medical records
• Frustration for patients and referring providers
• Increased operational burden for practices

As healthcare became more digital, these delays were no longer just inconvenient. They became barriers to care. The 21st Century Cures Act was designed to address this exact problem by requiring faster, more transparent electronic access to health information.

Why the 21st Century Cures Act Was Created

The 21st Century Cures Act, signed into law in 2016, was intended to modernize healthcare by improving patient access, interoperability, and the electronic exchange of health information.

One of its most impactful components is the Information Blocking Rule, which focuses on ensuring that electronic health information, or EHI, is shared promptly, securely, and without unnecessary obstacles.

In practical terms, if a workflow delays access to electronic records, particularly imaging and reports, it may be considered information blocking.

What Is Information Blocking?

Under the 21st Century Cures Act, information blocking is defined as any practice that interferes with, prevents, or materially discourages the access, exchange, or use of electronic health information.

For medical practices, this can include:

• Requiring CDs instead of electronic access
• Slow turnaround for imaging or reports
• Difficulty retrieving historical studies
• Manual or inconsistent fulfillment of patient requests
• Barriers for referring providers attempting to access imaging

The rule does not require perfection, but it does require reasonable and timely electronic access using modern digital workflows.

The Cures Act Timeline: Key Dates Practices Should Know

Understanding the Cures Act timeline helps explain why compliance matters today.

2016: The 21st Century Cures Act is signed into law.

May 2020: The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT publishes the final Information Blocking Rule.

April 5, 2021: Information blocking compliance requirements go into effect with a limited scope of data known as USCDI.

October 6, 2022: The scope expands from USCDI to all electronic health information, including medical imaging and historical studies.

September 1, 2023: The HHS Office of Inspector General begins enforcement and may investigate claims of information blocking. While provider specific monetary penalties are still under development, providers are expected to demonstrate timely electronic access and may face investigation or future participation related consequences.

For the most up to date guidance, practices can reference the official Information Blocking resources available at 21 Centuries Cures Act.

Four Core Pillars Practices Should Focus On

To align with the intent of the 21st Century Cures Act and reduce information blocking risk, practices should focus on four foundational pillars.

1. Fast Electronic Access

Patients and referring providers should be able to access imaging and reports electronically without unnecessary delay.

2. Secure Sharing

Electronic access must be delivered securely and in alignment with HIPAA privacy and security requirements.

3. Auditability

Practices should be able to demonstrate that requests were fulfilled promptly using clear and reliable audit trails.

4. Scalable Infrastructure

Systems should support long term storage, rapid retrieval of historical studies, and growth without increasing operational complexity.

How SARC MedIQ Supports Compliance Ready Imaging Workflows

Modern imaging platforms play a critical role in supporting these pillars. SARC MedIQ is a cloud based imaging management, reporting, and sharing platform designed to help practices reduce workflow friction while supporting compliance focused access.

SARC MedIQ helps practices by:

• Providing fast, secure electronic access to imaging and reports
• Eliminating reliance on CDs, faxing, and manual export workflows
• Enabling secure sharing with patients and referring providers
• Maintaining full audit trails to demonstrate timely access
• Supporting long term, compliant storage and fast retrieval of prior studies
• Reducing staff workload and operational delays that can lead to access complaints

By modernizing imaging infrastructure, practices can improve patient experience, strengthen care coordination, and reduce exposure to information blocking risk.

Moving Forward with Confidence

The 21st Century Cures Act reflects a long term shift toward transparency, interoperability, and patient access. Practices that continue to rely on outdated systems or manual processes may face increasing operational and regulatory pressure as enforcement evolves.

SARC MedIQ helps providers meet the requirements of the 21st Century Cures Act by enabling secure, timely electronic access to imaging and reports. Schedule a demo to learn how SARC MedIQ Cloud PACS System can help modernize your imaging workflows and support compliance ready access.