ONC cuts health IT certification criteria in HTI-5 final rule

What happened

• The ONC released the HTI‑5 final rule on 27 October 2026.
• Fourteen existing health IT certification criteria were eliminated.
• Seven remaining criteria were revised to simplify compliance.
• The rule does not address information‑blocking obligations, which will be decided later.

Why it matters

Vendors must reassess their products against the slimmer criteria and adjust documentation to reflect the revised requirements. Organizations should monitor future ONC guidance on information blocking.

Business impact

A reduced certification burden may accelerate product market entry, but firms must still ensure alignment with the updated criteria to maintain eligibility for federal incentive programs.

What to check

1. 1

   review certification criteriaHigh priority

   Map current product features to the 14 removed and 7 revised criteria to confirm continued compliance.

2. 2

   update documentationMedium priority

   Revise certification evidence and user manuals to reflect the new HTI‑5 requirements.