The first meeting of the DxF (Data Exchange Framework) Stakeholder Advisory Committee, hosted by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI), convened on April 16, 2026. If you’re not already familiar, the committee’s role is to provide information and advice to HCAI on information technology issues and to make recommendations for updates to the DxF and its policies and procedures, including the (Qualified Health Information Organization) QHIO program. The committee will also serve as an advisory body and forum for stakeholders and public engagement on policy decisions, while fostering accountability and transparency.
The advisory committee itself is positioned as a central forum for stakeholder input, bringing together representatives from health systems, health plans, community-based organizations, and data intermediaries. The goal is not just compliance, but practical usability—ensuring that policies reflect real-world workflows and challenges.
At this inaugural meeting, which began with HCAI Director Elizabeth Landsberg swearing in the committee members, the committee identified several priorities that are relevant to the greater data sharing community in California and for consideration in future policy and procedural decisions. These priorities include:
- Improving data usability, not just availability. Participants stressed that simply increasing data exchange is not enough; the data must be timely, actionable, and integrated into clinical and operational workflows.
- Reducing burden on providers. A recurring concern is avoiding additional administrative complexity. The DxF should streamline processes, not create duplicative reporting or technical overhead. It must also ensure that implementation is feasible across diverse organizations—from large health systems to smaller community-based providers.
- Ensuring equity and inclusion. The framework must support underserved populations, including those interacting with behavioral health and social services systems, where data fragmentation is often most acute.
- Aligning with national efforts. There is recognition that California’s DxF intersects with broader initiatives like TEFCA, and alignment will be important to avoid conflicting requirements.
- Centralizing the role of trust in interoperability. Effective data exchange depends not only on technical infrastructure but also on stakeholder confidence in how data is used, protected, and governed. Transparency, clear rules, and consistent enforcement are highlighted as essential to building that trust.
Importantly, the committee identified the value of continued engagement and refinement. Input sessions will happen regularly, ensuring that the committee’s role as a feedback loop between the state and the field will have timely and meaningful insights that help identify gaps, surface challenges, and guide future iterations of the DxF.
For more information on the outcome of the meeting, you can watch the video and access slides here.