1. Interoperability can only be achieved when provider organizations do the work necessary to participate. Do provider organizations have the necessary incentives to do that work?
2. Private health information exchanges seem to be growing at a faster pace than public health information exchanges. Public exchanges should arguably offer more value to patients and lower costs to provider organizations. Why the discrepancy?
3. The INPC, originated as a research project, was initially funded by grants and one of the ongoing value propositions is research use of the data. Is research necessarily critical to success of a health information exchange?
4. Establishing and operating a health information exchange requires a variety of investments including computing and network infrastructure, software systems of various types, legal and operational costs. Would you agree that data capture and normalization is the largest investment required?
5. Computing infrastructure, networking technology, software and clinical information standards will continue to evolve rapidly and investments in the technology will depreciate relatively rapidly. What are the core assets of an HIE if not these things?
- Provider organizations typically have incentives to participate in health information exchange (HIE) for several reasons. These incentives can include:
- Improved patient care: Access to patient data from other providers can lead to better-informed clinical decisions, resulting in improved patient care and outcomes.
- Reduced duplication of tests and services: HIEs can help avoid redundant tests and treatments, which can save costs and resources.
- Meeting regulatory requirements: Some healthcare regulations, such as Meaningful Use in the United States, may require healthcare organizations to participate in HIEs to receive incentives or avoid penalties.
- Enhancing reputation: Participating in HIEs can enhance a provider organization’s reputation for being technologically advanced and patient-centered.
- Competitive advantage: In some markets, offering HIE services can give a provider a competitive edge.
- Private health information exchanges may be growing faster than public ones for several reasons:
- Control and privacy: Private exchanges offer more control over data access and sharing, which can be appealing to some healthcare organizations and patients concerned about privacy.
- Incentives for data sharing: Private exchanges may have specific incentives or business models that encourage participation among their members.
- Competitive differentiation: Provider organizations may perceive private HIEs as a way to differentiate themselves in the market and offer unique services to patients.
However, public exchanges can offer broader value to patients and lower costs to provider organizations if they are effectively implemented and widely adopted, as they facilitate data sharing across a broader healthcare ecosystem.
- Research can be critical to the success of a health information exchange, but it’s not the only factor. Research use of data can provide important insights into healthcare trends, outcomes, and effectiveness. It can also help improve the quality of care. However, the success of an HIE also depends on factors like data availability, security, ease of use for healthcare providers, and compliance with regulations. Research is one of many potential value propositions of an HIE.
- Data capture and normalization are indeed significant investments required for establishing and operating an HIE. These activities involve collecting, processing, and standardizing data from various sources to make it usable and shareable. However, other investments, such as legal and operational costs, network infrastructure, and software systems, are also essential. All these components are interrelated and necessary for the successful operation of an HIE.
- The core assets of an HIE extend beyond the technology components you mentioned. While computing infrastructure, networking technology, software, and clinical information standards are critical, the true core assets of an HIE include:
- Data: The health information itself is the most valuable asset of an HIE. This includes patient records, diagnostic information, treatment history, and more.
- Trust and relationships: Building trust among participating healthcare organizations, providers, and patients is crucial. Strong relationships and collaboration are essential for successful data sharing.
- Governance and policies: Effective governance structures and policies for data access, sharing, and security are fundamental to maintaining trust and ensuring compliance.
- User engagement: The active involvement of healthcare providers and patients in the HIE is essential for its success. Ensuring that users find value in the exchange is a core asset.
- Sustainability and business model: Developing a sustainable financial model to support the ongoing operation of the HIE is a critical asset.
In summary, while technology is essential, the core assets of an HIE encompass data, trust, governance, user engagement, and sustainability, all of which contribute to the effective sharing of health information.