The Trump administration recently unveiled a new initiative aimed at enhancing health data sharing by partnering with major healthcare and technology companies such as Amazon, Google, UnitedHealth, and Epic. The Health Tech Ecosystem initiative focuses on promoting the adoption of a voluntary blueprint for data sharing called CMS Interoperability Framework and expanding the availability of digital health tools for chronic disease management and care navigation.
Over 60 companies, including technology firms, providers, insurers, and health data sharing networks, have committed to participating in this initiative. The goal is to deliver tangible results for the American people by the first quarter of next year.
Health data interoperability has long been a challenge in the healthcare industry due to siloed data and outdated technology. However, recent progress has been made in this area with the launch of the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), a governance framework for information exchange.
The CMS Interoperability Framework, part of the Trump administration’s initiative, aims to accelerate health data sharing networks. It includes visionary criteria such as enabling patients to access their electronic medical data across the network using their preferred apps. Patients should also be able to access claims, explanation of benefits, and prior authorizations from various payers, with data queries being responded to promptly, possibly in real time.
CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz emphasized the need for a paradigm shift in the U.S. healthcare system to benefit patients and providers. Companies like Epic, Oracle Health, athenahealth, and data exchanges like CommonWell Health Alliance have pledged to become CMS Aligned Networks as part of this initiative.
Moreover, health systems such as Cleveland Clinic, Bon Secours Mercy Health, and Intermountain Health have committed to accepting patient information through digital tools to eliminate the need for paper-based medical histories. Companies like Google, Apple, and Samsung have also joined the initiative to leverage technology for improving health outcomes.
Patients will have the ability to retrieve their health data through the network or personal apps and share it with providers. Additionally, companies are planning to use the network or apps to support patients managing conditions like diabetes or obesity.
Overall, the Trump administration’s Health Tech Ecosystem initiative represents a significant step towards enhancing health data sharing and leveraging technology to improve healthcare outcomes for patients and providers.
