Impact of the 21st Century Cures Act on Patients and the Healthcare Team.

The article focuses on the impact of the 21st Century Cures Act, enacted in 2016, on patients and healthcare teams, particularly regarding the promotion of interoperability in health information technology (health IT) and the reduction of information blocking. The Act mandates that electronic health information (EHI), including clinical notes and test results, be made immediately accessible to patients via secure portals, which has presented both benefits—such as increased patient empowerment and engagement—and challenges, including patient anxiety over sensitive information and increased workload for healthcare providers. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) leads implementation efforts and defines exceptions to information blocking, such as harm prevention and privacy protection. Oncology nurses play a key role in educating patients about accessing their health information, managing expectations, and advocating for policy improvements related to the timing and release of sensitive results.