Information blocking under the 21st Century Cures Act (effective 2021, expanded 2023) refers to any practice by a healthcare provider, health IT vendor, or health information network that interferes with the access, exchange, or use of electronic health information. The rule explicitly requires that patients have electronic access to their own health information without unnecessary delay.
For patient portals, the information blocking rule means: lab results must be available to patients as soon as the provider receives them, visit notes must be available, and patients can’t be charged unreasonable fees for electronic access. Practices that build “delay periods” before releasing results face potential enforcement.