Back in 2009, the first real progress in the digital transformation of healthcare in the United States came with the inclusion of meaningful use provisions in the Economic and Clinical Health Information Technology (HITECH) Act. This move has prompted more than 96% of U.S. hospitals to digitize health data using certified electronic health record (EHR) technology, but it has failed to create an environment where health data can be shared freely and securely among providers across the country . reason? While health data is now available digitally, it remains siloed in proprietary formats, making interoperability and integration overly complex and expensive.
More than a decade later, the United States still faces the same dilemma when it comes to medical data interoperability. The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) has long recognized the need to shift the focus from “digitalization” of health data to “interoperability”. So much so that it changed the name of “meaningful use” to “promoting interoperability” in 2018.Recently, ONC revealed its most ambitious healthcare interoperability effort to date Trusted Exchange Framework and Mutual Agreement (TEFCA). TECFA outlines a common set of principles, terms and conditions to support the overarching goal of establishing a common bottom line for health data interoperability across the country.
For the healthcare industry, TECFA comes at the right time. Today, digital health data includes more than just electronic health records (EHRs). Electronic health information can be easily captured and accessed from a variety of sources, including consumer-facing applications and connected Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Many healthcare organizations today have no shortage of digital health data. Instead, they are overwhelmed by it and struggle to find ways to isolate the most important pieces of data, share it across the care process, and turn that data into actionable information that improves decision-making.
Black Book Surveys Published in 2020 It was found that 95% of hospital and physician group executives have access to data analytics applications. However, despite the popularity of data analytics in healthcare, 80% of leaders say they use data analytics in decision-making and strategic planning as “negligible”. Data overload and lack of a common set of data standards and schemas are the main reasons for this gap.
At this juncture, it is totally unacceptable to have access to valuable data without being able to use it to its full potential. The fact that so many healthcare organizations are allocating precious resources to analytics technology that ultimately isn’t used to extract actionable information from the data suggests a bigger problem. Problems that TECFA can help with.
Data analytics is only one component of a larger need to support IT infrastructure. The industry must lay the groundwork for data interoperability to be able to analyze data at a larger scale, rather than the current siloed approach. Additionally, it must prioritize understanding consumers and their expectations and pursue meaningful innovation that drives value.
Purposeful Health Technology
Technology is undoubtedly a core component of the future viability of healthcare organizations large and small. However, simply spending more money on technology is not the answer. Technology solutions must be carefully evaluated to ensure they meet both short- and long-term goals. This includes making sure they are built with interoperability in mind.
TEFCA emphasizes the importance of open technologies and industry standards such as HL7 and the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource (FHIR) for continued healthcare interoperability. A technology infrastructure built on open standards enables the exchange of information while allowing healthcare organizations to continue using existing systems and evolve their environments, rather than requiring systems to be obsolete and replaced.
Healthcare organizations should stop investing in technology for its own sake and instead set clear goals that support interoperability and allocate funding accordingly. The simplest advice for executives is not to spend a penny, dollar, or minute on data-related technologies without having this plan in place.
“Data-driven” doesn’t just mean acquiring and storing vast amounts of healthcare data. It requires the ability to quickly access, exchange and analyze the data needed to drive action and results. It also requires organizations to balance the desire to innovate with the need for sustainable development. Fortunately, there are many countries that are turning large amounts of data into usable information about their patient populations.
Moshe Bar Siman Tov, former Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Health, write very long On the country’s focus on turning decades of medical data into “digital health gold.” 2021, Israel grants over $17 million A new program will allow health organizations to build the digital infrastructure needed to share anonymous data and collaborate with healthcare startups on research and development.
U.S. healthcare leaders should look around the world, examine countries that do things differently, and act accordingly. Healthcare executives, many of whom are staunch supporters of the industry and champions of traditional ways of operating, must view the possibilities of innovative technologies as a welcome wake-up call, not a threat. By embracing these unorthodox ideas and seeing things from an outsider’s perspective, real change can occur.
Using data to understand consumers
The ultimate goal of interoperability should go beyond improved data analysis and outcomes – it should be better meeting the needs and expectations of healthcare consumers. As consumerism continues to shape the future of healthcare, executives are in a unique position to assess and subsequently change what is happening and where it might go.
As pointed out in a survey published by Press Ganey in 2021, Consumerism is increasingly affecting the healthcare industry. For example, most patients now turn to the Internet when looking for new primary care physicians, and rely on searches “almost as much as physician referrals,” the report said.
In fact, consumers are adopting the same technology-driven approach to healthcare as other industries, namely banking and retail. Consumer expectations center on the immediacy of services and technology, ensuring this trend will accelerate.
Healthcare organizations should recognize that the foundations beneath their feet are changing and the same old methods will not be enough to keep going. Not only do healthcare companies need to collect massive amounts of data and praise themselves for doing a good job, they also need to be able to make actionable decisions using the information available.
Therefore, anticipating consumer needs and responding with data-enabled solutions that match their needs should be a key goal of any healthcare organization.
TECFA is committed to helping the United States finally realize the concept of a national health information network originally envisioned by ONC when it was founded in 2004. It also presents a great opportunity for healthcare organizations to rethink the standard way of operating and move toward the achievable ideal. The right technology can be the cornerstone of building new systems that drive better outcomes, reduce costs, and build a more dynamic healthcare environment for all stakeholders.
Photo: Leo Wolfert, Getty Images
