Jason Kulatunga 
The 21st Century Cures Act requires Certified EHRs to approve Patient Access API requests within:
- 10 business days to verify an API user’s identity
- 5 business days after verification to enable the application
Total time: 15 business days max – but many developers (including us) know the wait times are much longer
Why does this rule exist?
Before this, API approvals were inconsistent. Some EHRs moved quickly, while others delayed access for weeks or months. The rule was meant to streamline approvals and ensure patients can share their data without unnecessary friction.
So what happens when EHRs don’t comply?
Unfortunately, we still encounter delays, excessive paperwork, or vague security reviews. The real problem? Patients suffer. A delayed record could mean missing a clinical trial, waiting longer for a second opinion, or struggling to manage a chronic condition.
To ensure that patient needs are prioritized, Fasten Health is forced to file Information Blocking Complaints against EHR vendors – and nobody wants that.
How Fasten Health Helps
We’ve experienced these same roadblocks and built a solution to eliminate them. Instead of forcing businesses to integrate separately with multiple EHRs, Fasten Health provides a single unified API already connected to 40,000+ healthcare institutions. Our API retrieves patient-mediated health records without the usual delays and inconsistencies.
What’s been your experience with Patient Access APIs?
- How long did your last Patient API integration take?
- What’s the worst excuse you’ve heard for an API delay?
Book time to discuss your experience and explore how Fasten can simplify the process
TEFCA IAS - A Story of Interoperability and Unrealized Potential