Interoperability

"Data is the currency of the next century," says Brian Ahier. And nowhere are health data and data management processes discussed, analyzed and examined more than at the HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition.

Penn Medicine chief information officer Mike Restuccia reflects on the year that was and glances ahead to 2017.

By analyzing data from payer claims and its own referral-management tracking system, Lawrence General Hospital was able to engage clinicians in strategies for improving care retention.

Tasked with accomplishing what takes some health systems $100 million with less $10 million, the IT shop conceived a new approach that saved $4.5 million a year and streamlined IT infrastructure management. 

By: Dr.

Achieving interoperability across boundaries and connecting providers for collaboration is a long process. Here are a few examples of customers where our interoperability technology is improving care and outcomes.

"As I've said many times, one of the great challenges we have is that the 2015 Edition final rule has an enormous scope extending beyond meaningful use with the notion that it can be coupled to every government healthcare IT program," writes John Halamka, MD.  

The standard bodes well for future collaborative care models, even if it’s still in its infancy.

HIMSS Executive Vice President Carla Smith and PCHA EVP Patricia Mechael caution against applying the phrase to all digital health apps and tools. Instead, executives and innovators should work to align emerging technologies with consumer demand.

The answer to that question, says Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center CIO John Halamka, MD, is that we need the right amount of the right regulation and legislation.