What's Happening?
Dr. Peter Schoch, Chief Health Officer at Kno2, emphasizes the ongoing challenges in healthcare interoperability, which hinder effective clinical information exchange. Despite investments in health IT, many hospitals still rely on outdated methods like mail or fax for data exchange. This lack of seamless information sharing leads to fragmented care and poor outcomes. Dr. Schoch argues that solving interoperability is crucial for advancing digital health and improving patient safety. He advocates for universal connectivity across healthcare providers, supported by initiatives like TEFCA and Blue Button 2.0.
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Why It's Important?
Interoperability is foundational to the success of digital health innovations, impacting patient safety and healthcare costs. Without reliable data exchange, advanced technologies like AI and personalized care platforms cannot function effectively. Addressing interoperability could lead to significant cost savings and improved care coordination, benefiting both providers and patients. The emphasis on universal connectivity highlights the need for comprehensive policy changes and technical support to ensure all healthcare providers can participate in seamless information exchange.
What's Next?
Dr. Schoch outlines a phased rollout for achieving universal connectivity, starting with Medicare Advantage and ACOs in 2025-2026, followed by mandatory participation for all Medicare and Medicaid providers by 2027-2028. These steps aim to establish a robust infrastructure for health information exchange, enabling advanced digital health applications. Stakeholders, including healthcare providers and policymakers, will need to collaborate to overcome financial and technical barriers to interoperability.
