NextGen Healthcare and Kno2 Forge Strategic Alliance to Accelerate Nationwide Healthcare Interoperability
In a landmark move poised to reshape the landscape of health information exchange across the United States, NextGen Healthcare—a pioneer in cloud-based healthcare technology solutions—has announced a strategic partnership with Kno2, the nation’s largest healthcare communication network and a federally designated Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN). This collaboration marks a significant step forward in the ongoing mission to achieve seamless, secure, and standardized interoperability across the U.S. healthcare system, empowering providers, patients, and payers alike with timely access to critical clinical data.
For more than a decade, NextGen Healthcare has stood at the forefront of interoperability innovation. The company’s comprehensive suite of ambulatory electronic health record (EHR) solutions has long served as a backbone for thousands of healthcare practices nationwide. Equally instrumental in its interoperability leadership is Mirth® Connect by NextGen Healthcare—the world’s most widely deployed healthcare integration engine. Mirth Connect powers countless health information exchanges (HIEs), public health reporting systems, and enterprise interoperability platforms globally, enabling real-time data flow between disparate systems and stakeholders.
NextGen Healthcare’s influence extends well beyond software deployment. The company has been a vocal advocate and active contributor to national and international interoperability standards, including Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR). It has also played a pivotal role in open-source initiatives, the development of national health data networks, and policy discussions aimed at modernizing the U.S. health IT infrastructure. Notably, a substantial portion of public health information exchanges in the United States continue to rely on NextGen Healthcare–powered technologies, underscoring the company’s enduring impact on population health and emergency preparedness.
“Interoperability is the lynchpin of successful healthcare delivery,” said Srinivas (Sri) Velamoor, President and Chief Operating Officer of NextGen Healthcare. “Our partnership with Kno2—the industry-leading QHIN—represents a powerful convergence of vision, technology, and scale. Together, we are equipping our clients with the tools they need to participate fully in the national health data ecosystem, enabling better care coordination, improved outcomes, and enhanced patient experiences across communities nationwide.”
Kno2, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, has earned widespread recognition as a trailblazer in health data connectivity. Named one of the “50 Most Promising Healthcare Solution Providers” by CIOReview and honored with the Microsoft Health Innovation Award, Kno2 operates the most expansive healthcare communication network in the country. Its platform facilitates the secure exchange of clinical information among patients, providers, payers, laboratories, pharmacies, and health IT vendors—regardless of the underlying technology systems in use.
A key milestone in Kno2’s journey came with its recent public commitment to become a CMS Aligned Network by December 31, 2025. This pledge aligns the company with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) broader interoperability roadmap, which mandates standardized data sharing across payers and providers to support value-based care and patient access initiatives. As a federally recognized QHIN under the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), Kno2 serves as a foundational node in the emerging national health information highway—a vision long championed by policymakers and health IT leaders.
The integration between NextGen Healthcare and Kno2 will unlock unprecedented opportunities for more than 100,000 ambulatory care providers spanning a diverse array of medical specialties. Through this partnership, NextGen clients will gain streamlined access to TEFCA’s nationwide framework, which aims to eliminate longstanding barriers to health data exchange by establishing common technical, legal, and operational standards. Participation in TEFCA ensures that providers can securely share patient records across state lines, care settings, and vendor platforms without the friction that has historically plagued health information exchange.
Central to this integration is Kno2’s robust Communication API, a developer-friendly interface that enables seamless connectivity between EHRs, HIEs, and other digital health platforms. By embedding Kno2’s API into its ecosystem, NextGen Healthcare ensures that its users can effortlessly connect to the broadest possible network of healthcare stakeholders. This not only enhances care coordination but also supports critical workflows such as referral management, prior authorization, transitions of care, and public health reporting.
“NextGen Healthcare’s unwavering commitment to advancing ambulatory care aligns perfectly with our mission to enable frictionless, secure data flow across the entire healthcare ecosystem,” said Therasa Bell, President and Co-Founder of Kno2. “Together, we’re not just exchanging data—we’re putting comprehensive, actionable clinical information directly into the hands of the providers who care for millions of patients every single day. That’s how we drive real-world impact.”
The implications of this alliance extend far beyond technical integration. In an era where care is increasingly delivered across fragmented settings—from primary care clinics to specialty practices, hospitals, home health agencies, and telehealth platforms—the ability to access a patient’s complete medical history in real time can mean the difference between life and death. Interoperability reduces redundant testing, prevents medication errors, improves chronic disease management, and empowers patients with greater control over their health data.
Moreover, the partnership supports the federal government’s push toward a more transparent, patient-centered healthcare system. Recent regulations from CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC)—including the 21st Century Cures Act Final Rule—have placed unprecedented emphasis on eliminating information blocking and promoting standardized APIs like FHIR. By aligning with a QHIN like Kno2, NextGen Healthcare is ensuring its clients remain compliant with these evolving mandates while future-proofing their technology investments.
