in·ter·op·er·a·bil·i·ty: the ability of different systems, devices, and applications to access, exchange, and use data in such a way that the data is accessible, accurate, and secure, to provide timely and seamless portability of information and optimize the health of individuals and populations (Source: HIMSS)
Twenty years ago, when Spire first stepped into the field of health technology, sharing information meant sending a fax or even hand-carrying documents from one doctor’s office to another.
So much has changed.
Every day, terabytes (if not petabytes) of data flow between providers, payers, and public health agencies via interconnected health information exchanges (HIEs) and Qualified Health Information Networks (QHINs). Patients benefit from fewer medication errors, informed treatment decisions, and better coordinated care. Providers benefit by saving time on administrative tasks. And society benefits from faster and more complete public health reporting.
While no one would claim that the U.S. health IT ecosystem is perfect, we have made big strides. And none of it would be possible without the diligent work of the interoperability community.
Marketing a mouthful
As words go, interoperability is a mouthful. As concepts go, its complexity is easy to underestimate. But as technology innovation goes, it’s a prime example of what’s possible when the federal government drives public-private collaboration in service of public good.
At Spire, we’ve had the immense privilege of contributing to the interoperability movement, providing communications support for pioneering programs and organizations – from the HHS Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy (ASTP), Carequality, and eHealth Exchange, to the rollout of TEFCA with The Sequoia Project and ASTP, to name a few. But even with two decades of hands-on experience, I can’t summarize the evolution of healthcare interoperability in a blog post. (If you’re new to the topic, a great place to start is the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s 2024 overview.)
Suffice it to say that it’s taken incalculable hours of diligent and collaborative effort – across federal agencies, nonprofit advocates, technology vendors, independent experts, and private-sector organizations – to get where we are today.
Accelerating patient access and empowerment
Now, the interoperability community is on the verge of a new era.
Last month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a new Interoperability Framework designed to make data sharing work better for patients and personal health apps. This is encouraging news for anyone who’s tired of logging into a different portal for every provider or who’d like to use their own mobile device to help manage a chronic condition like diabetes.
As the largest payer in the nation, CMS has tremendous influence over the healthcare industry. Even without a regulatory mandate, what the agency says will jumpstart collaboration, innovation, and adoption across technology vendors, providers, and health data networks.
Make no mistake, every technology and policy milestone to date was necessary to making this possible. The interoperability community deserves considerable credit for establishing the data standards, privacy and security regulations, and trusted networks that will provide a foundation for patient access and empowerment.
Working alongside our clients
As someone who personally knows the federal, nonprofit, and private-sector leaders who made this happen, I can say with certainty that they’re not the sort to rest on their laurels.
As our clients join the interoperability community in the work of defining technical specifications and developing implementation guides to manifest CMS’s vision, Spire is ready to roll up our sleeves alongside them. As they tackle the thorny work of building a next-generation digital health ecosystem, we are excited to help them communicate what it is and how it works – so all Americans can live better, healthier lives.
If your organization needs help communicating its value across the dynamic landscape that is healthcare interoperability, see what Spire can do for you.
