The goal of this paper is to share strategies governors and other state leaders can pursue to expand access to data and technology that will improve the health and wellbeing of our nation.
Introduction
To optimize health outcomes and control costs, it is critical that states, health care providers, and payers collect and share health care data. Many health information technology (HIT) systems have limited or no ability to share data across platforms due to a lack of data standards adoption and disconnected networks. This becomes a particularly difficult challenge to navigate when new opportunities or threats emerge requiring widespread information sharing, like the COVID-19 pandemic.
By increasing interoperability across systems for care delivery and coordination, public health, quality measurement and cost transparency, states, providers and payers can enhance sharing of health information and improve secure access to other data sources, such as those that contain information about social needs and risks impacting health outcomes, equity, and disparities. Making data available more quickly will allow for data-informed policy development, including improved emergency preparedness and response.
By leveraging a broad set of use cases states can appeal to a wide audience to galvanize electronic health information sharing. For new entrants and smaller providers, providing funding for shared technical services may help providers who would otherwise struggle with the cost of compliance. For instance, State Medicaid agencies can specify contracting requirements for managed care organizations (MCOs) requiring and incentivizing health information exchange (HIE) adoption through collaboration and transparent approaches.
The goal of this paper is to share strategies governors and other state leaders can pursue to expand access to data and technology that will improve the health and wellbeing of our nation. Specifically, this paper highlights ways to enhance interoperability across health care payers and, across sectors. The paper includes a set of state considerations, examples from states that have leveraged policy opportunities, sample use cases, and financing strategies.
