Navigating HTI-1: What Rehab Therapy Practices Need to Know

The new Health Technology Interoperability (HTI-1) framework has arrived, and it marks significant changes for how rehab therapy practices must capture, share, and utilize data. With the 2015 Edition gone, physical therapists and rehab practices have fresh regulatory requirements to consider—and they carry new implications for participating in value-based care, meeting Promoting Interoperability Standards and delivering more connected patient care. Here’s what you need to know to about HTI-1 in outpatient rehab therapy.

What is HTI-1?

HTI-1 is an updated set of standards backed by The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to replace the 2015 Edition. Enacted March 1, 2026, the regulatory framework provides compliance standards for Promoting Interoperability and value-based care programs. Unlike previous iterations, HTI-1 is designed to accommodate continuous updates to remain aligned with evolving interoperability needs. Rehab therapy providers can expect a system that enables more standardized data exchanges while enabling them to stay compliant.

What it Means for Your Practice

Fortunately, HTI-1 doesn’t have a big impact on the day-to-day workflows at rehab therapy practices. It’s largely a behind-the-scenes update, having a greater effect on the back-end of your Electronic Medical Record (EMR) platform than on your clinicians and administrators. Your practice can expect more capable, compliant, and interoperable workflows around client health data. However, the change does amplify the importance of a quality rehab therapy EMR that has adapted to HTI-1 updates.

Preparing for What’s Next

HTI-1 pushes us toward a more interoperable rehab therapy landscape. Practices that stay up to date with these updated standards align themselves to reap the benefits of value-based care and Promoting Interoperability while strengthening their abilities to deliver top-notch care.

Eager to learn more about what HTI-1 means for physical therapy and outpatient rehab clinics? Watch our HTI-1 webinar or request a TheraOffice® demo today to discover physical therapy software with built-in HTI-1 compliance.