Simply put, interoperability is making the right information available to the right person at the right time across the healthcare continuum, in a way that can be relied upon and meaningfully used by the recipients. Given that, this is the perception of interoperability in the U.S. healthcare industry, the acceptance and adoption of interoperability has been appallingly slow.

The transition to value-based care is underway, and there have been several, robust efforts to enhance the quality of care and introduce the element of accountability and value in care. Providers, insurers, quality organizations, and the government have also standardized some methods of care delivery and quality programs that reward providers on delivering quality care. Healthcare organizations report their performance on several metrics, ranging from structural quality to patient care- every year. These reports are not just instrumental in providing a look into healthcare quality, but are also useful in tracking network performance, keeping a close look at population health, and gaining incentives for quality care. However, as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) puts rigorous requirements for reporting data in place, generating accurate and valid reports has become vital.

I am sure I am not the only one who has lost count of the times I’ve been asked “Why can’t the systems talk to each other?” or, in more technical terms, “Why don’t we have interoperability?”

For health care providers, choosing the right population health solution path is riddled with apprehensions because of the many challenges that come in the way of a successful PHM implementation. This is not just another blog about the challenges with PHM; it will go in-depth about how it can be done with the willingness to inculcate data-driven initiatives in any given network.

As a person who has advocated the advancements of technology in healthcare- the industry entering a digital era and becoming home to some of the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking new technologies is great to witness. Plus, regardless of one’s stance, it’s great to see quality in healthcare becoming paramount and today, improving patient care, clinical outcomes, empowering patients while reducing cost are some of the few goals providers are after. And what’s the common denominator for all of these goals? Data integration.

Some twenty years ago nobody could have imagined that healthcare data would evolve the way it has and become an intrinsic part of the industry. Today, one of the largest and most complex industries in the U.S. is ripe for data initiatives; however, it is in the hands of the stakeholders to take these initiatives forward. The first giant leap into leveraging big data was made after the widespread adoption of EHRs by most hospitals in the country as it helped physicians with diagnostic advice and treatment guidance.

Although the value-based care train has gained momentum ever since its onset, it’s a long way to the destination. There are a lot of stops along the way, from uprooting the fee-for-service model to comprehensive population health management. These ideas of value-based care and population health management can feel like complex notions, but the advancements in health IT and the work of healthcare organizations- especially accountable care organizations- have attested that big data and analytics are holding true on their promise to drive tangible improvements in care.

Healthcare records are a valuable resource for the healthcare industry because of the information they contain. The ones predominantly in use today are the electronic health records or EHRs. They are stored with, at the very least, lab results, diagnostic imaging results, and hospital visits. If a care provider’s office is hooked into the regional EHR, then care provider visits will come up as well. If a hospital uses electronic charting, all of the records from a hospital visit (vital signs, blood sugar levels, assessments, etc.) will also be on it.

Imagine a patient walks into her physician’s office, swiping off the notification on her smart-watch or phone reminding her of her appointment. The physician too, glances at her computer and with just one click, pulls up the patient’s records. The records have every information, right from her past immunizations to her family’s medical history and the physician bases her questions on the obtained patient history.

The Becker’s Hospital Review 3rd Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference recently concluded after hosting a range of discussions on modern healthcare. The conference started with a keynote address by the ex-president of the US, George W. Bush. From all over the US, healthcare experts and distinguished thought leaders in the field of health IT gathered here to share useful knowledge to discuss the role of informatics, data analytics, mobile health, EMR issues, trends, and revenue cycle challenges like denials. As many as 150 speakers and 7 keynote speakers from various care organizations around the US attended the event to offer their personal insights and actionable takeaways.