Vendors, contributor agencies commit to make better EHR data sharing

Several of the nation’s greatest players in the private sector have devoted to an initiative to make better the capability of contributors and sufferers to share and use data in EHRs.

The attempts has achieved support from some of the nation’s greatest developers of EHRs systems, representing 90% of the health records utilized by U.S. hospitals, stated Sylvia M. Burwell, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Monday evening during a keynote address at the opening of the yearly conference of the Health Information Management and Systems Society in the state of Las Vegas

And the 5 greatest private provider networks in the country are among a group of 16 hospital and health systems that have also showed support for the initiative. Various huge industry professional agencies—involving the American Medical Association, the American Health Information Management Association, HIMSS and the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives—were fast to add support for the movement.

Burwell stated the vendors and contributors have agreed to execute 3 core commitments:

Consumer access: To assist the consumers conveniently and securely access their electronic health data, direct it to any desired site, learn how their data can be shared and utilized, and be assured that this data will be effectively and safely utilized to benefit their health and that of their community.

No data blocking: To assist the contributors to share individuals’ health data for care with other contributors and their sufferers whenever allowed by law, and not block electronic health data.

Standards: Execute federally identified, national interoperability standards, policies, guidance, and practices for electronic health data and embrace best practices involving those regarded to privacy and security.

“That commitment to cooperation and innovation will assist us to construct our healthcare system into 1 that works best for that sufferer,” Burwell claimed. “Today’s commitments are a serious 1^st step toward victory on this front. I need to thank everyone who has stepped up and become a leader in this field. From our end at HHS, we are devoted to supporting our partners as best as we can.”

EHR vendors that have pledged commitments to the attempt involve Aprima, Allscripts, Cerner, CPSI, athenahealth, CureMD, Epic, McKesson, GE Health, Intel, MedHost, NextGen, Philips, SureScripts, Meditech and the Optum division of UnitedHealth Group.

Burwell declared that the following contributor agencies are supporting the initiative:

• Ascension Health


• Catholic Health Initiatives


• Carolinas Healthcare


• Dignity Health


• Community Health Systems


• Geisinger Health System


• Johns Hopkins Medical


• Intermountain Healthcare


• Hospital Corporation of America (HCA)


• Kaiser Permanente


• Mountain States Health Alliance


• LifePoint Health


• Tenet Healthcare


• Trinity Health


• Partners Healthcare


• University of Utah Health Care

“These pledges also make sure that we can aggregate data, and it makes a sufferer-centric partnership,” claimed Karen DeSalvo, national coordinator for the Office of Health Information Technology. “It is putting our nation on a path toward actual growth with EHRs.

Federal organizations will motivate commitment toward the attempt and can nudge the industry toward commitment by its capability to certify EHR products, DeSalvo stated, adding that “we have a broader list of interoperability standards and few business practices that we will set out.

“We are also inquiring for advancement in utilizing FHIR (an emerging interoperability standard being established by HL7), which will offer us the chance, from a technical standpoint, to make apps and an Internet-like user experience for approaching the records. With this declaration, there are commitments by developers and contributors on moving toward utilizing a shared language, where data is moving freely throughout the network.”

While numerous initiatives have been separately working toward interoperability attempts, DeSalvo claimed federal agencies are motivated by the scope of the commitments declared on the day of Monday evening.

“We are thrilled about this declaration because it depicts a shift in the market,” she stated. “It is a shift in the way developers and contributors are willing to do business. We have chances to do this through our various levels to make this stick, to make this a long-term change. The logic that the private sector is coming along with us makes all the difference. We are so glad that they are willing to make this announcement publicly.”