To promote interoperability and patient empowerment
CMS describes the intent of the API, “Consumers routinely perform many daily tasks on their mobile phones – banking, shopping, paying bills, scheduling – using secure applications. We believe thatobtaining their health information should be just as easy, convenient, and user-friendly.”
The interoperability rules call for healthcare organizations to give patients better access to their personal health data and clearer information about cost, empowering them to make informeddecisions about what care they receive and where.
With secure, standards-based application programming interface (API) requirements, you could have access to and control over your health information, through whatever device or app you choose. Thegoal is to foster choice and competition in health care.