HIT Consider Why the industry shouldn’t stand in the path of interoperability

These 2 bits of sociological leverage may be sufficient to make interoperability shift forward faster, with no turning back.

They came together on the day of Sunday evening, as HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell outlined the agencies, vendors and professional associations that announced to commit to 3 simple goals in data sharing.

Actually, I consider the presentation undersold the breadth of the lineup of agencies that now say they will support data exchange. There are over 15 huge EHR vendors on the initial fact sheet, and other commitments were coming in the day of Monday morning. The fact sheet also listed 16 healthcare contributor agencies, involving few of the most widely respected in the nation. And, for great measure, there are sixteen of the nation’s greatest and most influential contributor, technology and consumer agencies.

Momentum toward interoperability has been near for a while, even before the notion of meaningful use was around. Various persons have long considered it would be nice if sufferer data can be shared.

Regrettably, there is been little economical reason to go to the time, expense and effort. And competitive pressures have been too much to control.

Now, with industry consolidation and rapidly moving reimbursement incentives, some of that opposition is starting to fade. Making better the capability to share data becomes more significant as contributors target to treat sufferers better, particularly those for whom they hold growing financial responsibility for their care.

Still, longstanding inertia is tough to control. There has always been an uncertainty among many that holding patient information in a non-exchangeable format somehow offers them a competitive advantage. And from the vendor side, making information conveniently transferable raises fears that contributors would have an easier period switching systems. If they are going to do THAT to you, make ‘em suffer.

But it is obvious that federal agencies are intent on growing the stakes.

This inability or deficiency of willingness to exchange data is now being termed “data blocking.” While federal authorities are not exactly ascribing blame to contributors or vendors for the fact that data exchange does not happen, that is not exactly neutral terminology. Instantly, the notion that someone is “blocking” data exchange will take on a negative connotation. It is obvious that failing to exchange data will be growingly viewed in a negative way.

And with the declaration that a multitude of agencies are committed to sharing data, there is a vehicle to start work from a common base. The 3 core commitments are not crazy talk; they are simple notions of enabling consumer approach to health data, not blocking that approach and adhering to standards that can make that convenient for everyone.

There is cunning logic in picking these 3 aims as commitments. As of the day Sunday, it has become really uncool to not be a part of this group. If you are not, what does it claim about your agency? We do not think customers should see their data; we block access, yes; and we are not smart enough to do things in a standardized way? And you potentially also kick puppies and steal coins out of a blind beggar’s hat.

This base of 3 core commitments also offers a launching pad for the nation’s healthcare agencies to take the small, incremental baby steps required to sustain the progress toward really helpful, beneficial, cost-effective data exchange.

Doubtlessly, there is a long way to go, and the simplicity of the 3 significant commitments belies the difficulty in acquiring them. Major side problems, merely to name a couple, involve the capability to absolutely nail patient identities 100% of the time, without costly human intervention; and consistent medical terminology that would enable easier information exchange between systems.

But despite these and other obstacles, there is the possibility for critical mass, for federal authorities to leverage commitments and inquire action. The actual magic will happen as these participating agencies hold each other accountable and march arm in arm to an improved interoperable place.