Posts Tagged: interoperability

Healthcare Data Management: Interoperability, Portability, and Accessibility Challenges

Posted May 28, 2020 by Beth Osborne & filed under Healthcare.

Healthcare data management is complex, and not something most organizations have the expertise or bandwidth to handle on their own. Most stakeholders understand the opportunities of leveraging such an asset but aren’t sure how. They struggle with interoperability, portability, and accessibility. The healthcare system is ripe with challenges that leave many entities unable to use their data for the greater good optimally.

So, what are the biggest challenges and possibilities? As a healthcare data management company with over two decades of experience, we’re happy to share our ideas.

Interoperability Remains at an Impasse

The healthcare community at large, and its regulators, are certainly trying to make headway here. The new interoperability and information blocking rule from HHS tackles this head-on. The focus of the new rules is to allow patients more access to their medical records. The rules also express the need to eliminate information blocking. However, the enforceability of this is still up in the air.

We’ve seen lots of interoperability issues in our years of working on over 27,000 data management projects. Moving PHI isn’t a straightforward process. There have been many efforts to drive standardization in EHRs, mostly through FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), which should “simplify implementation without sacrificing information integrity).

However, there are different versions of FHIR so that systems could be technically “standardizing,” but there’s still incompatibility. Additional inconsistencies include EHRs not using all available FHIR APIs. The interoperability rule does address the need for FHIR APIs to improve data sharing. Most EHRs have adopted FHIR, but the new interoperability rule moves to make FHIR Release 4 the standard.

What’s the biggest roadblock? Health information systems aren’t “open.” They are designed to integrate, like many SaaS platforms. Healthcare data, it’s just different.

Portability Isn’t Easy

In many cases, a business can quickly move databases around. For example, if you move to new CRM software, you’ll migrate your customer data to a new platform. It’s usually not a heavy lift—maybe a little light data cleaning or purging.

Unfortunately, in healthcare data management, portability is a huge pain point. You can’t just move to a new EHR or decision support system by copying and pasting. It requires a data conversion to make sure the information is securely sent, and that field matching is as accurate as possible.

Beyond moving from one software to another, many healthcare organizations also need the capability to data share across their different systems. Again, not an easy road, even for IT experts. What typically occurs is that systems don’t sync, and implementations that don’t launch on time.

Access to Data Shouldn’t Be a Roadblock

The third concern that you may be dealing with in healthcare data management is accessibility. Can you access your data when and how you need it? While you may have no issues with reviewing and analyzing data in your current EHR or pharmacy system, what about legacy records?

Often, organizations will keep a legacy system running to store their old records. Storage is necessary to comply with medical record retention requirements, but using an old system is not the best user experience. It’s hard to find what you need, and you’re paying every month to retain access.

The easiest answer to universal, compliant, and easy accessibility is data archiving. Choosing a web-based system that allows you to store documents, data, and images ensures regulatory adherence while boosting ease of use and reducing costs.

Healthcare Data Management Made Easy with InfoWerks

Our goal is to promote interoperability, portability, and accessibility for every area of the healthcare ecosystem. Our experience and healthcare-centric approach to data management have made us the choice for thousands of organizations. Get in touch today to see how we can help.

We’re in a Healthcare Crisis. Why Are Providers Struggling to Remain Open?

Posted May 1, 2020 by Beth Osborne & filed under Healthcare.

It’s easy to assume that because we’re in a healthcare crisis, providers are doing just fine. The reality is that the healthcare ecosystem is struggling mightily to stay open. In a for-profit healthcare system, revenue matters. Those being hit hardest are rural hospitals, physician practices, and dentists. A freeze on elective surgeries and patients postponing wellness visits mean profitability is sinking for many.

Many have often called healthcare recession-proof, as it’s an essential service. However, it seems the field isn’t pandemic-proof.

If Demand Is Up, Why All the Job Losses?

If the demand is so strong because of sick patients, why have healthcare jobs plummeted? According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, there were big losses, including 17,000 lost jobs in dentistry, 12,000 jobs for practices, and 7,000 other practitioner roles. These numbers are in stark contrast to the 374,000 jobs added in healthcare the previous year.

There have been, however, hiring booms directly related to COVID-19. Hospitals are seeking more nurses, and telehealth vendors are seeking physicians to manage the rising volume.

Yet many in the field are being laid off or furloughed, as rural facilities and independent providers are facing financial insolvency. Patients that would normally need healthcare services simply aren’t coming to their appointments. Many have been able to shift to telehealth to continue to care for patients, but that doesn’t mean they are receiving reimbursement.

What About the Healthcare Crisis Relief?

Federal relief funding and changes in telehealth reimbursement policies, including the inclusion of more services by Medicare, may not be enough for these providers to stay afloat. The challenges right now are inconsistent reimbursement from payers and low patient volume. Plus, aid has dried up, with the first big chunk going to hospitals.

A new survey from the Primary Care Collaborative sheds some insight. One thousand primary clinicians from 48 states and D.C. participated. The survey found that 89% reported decreases in patient visits, and 57% said that less than half of their visits in the last week were reimbursable.

Virtual Visits Aren’t Always Viable

Virtual health isn’t feasible, according to the survey, as well. Two-thirds replied that they can’t conduct telehealth visits because patients don’t have computers or internet service. That’s possibly surprising to hear in the modern, technology-friendly world, but it’s a reality in rural America as well as for older patients. Most respondents are using video for less than 20% of visits, using the phone instead.

The problem is that audio-only visits equate to lower reimbursement rates than video visits. Video visits Further, CMS has a rule that diagnosis over the phone cannot be used for risk adjustment purposes. Still, reimbursement for video appointments is much lower than in-person. Providers believe this should change.

More Spending, Less Revenue

The COVID-19 healthcare crisis required many providers to start spending more, especially as they try to obtain PPE. Preparation costs money, yet now revenue is drying up. Unless you’re treating coronavirus patients, providers are without patients, just like retailers and restaurants are without customers.

The demand for help on the front lines is still urgent, but it’s rarely easy to suddenly switch from one specialty to another. Plastic surgeons can’t suddenly become infectious disease specialists. In the fields of medicine that aren’t necessarily connected to urgent healthcare needs, like plastic surgeons and dermatologists, they’ve completely shut down, leaving their staff unemployed.

Healthcare Will Bounce Back

Most experts agree that healthcare is a resilient industry. It’s a service that everybody needs; there are no exceptions. But what the healthcare system will look like in the future is uncertain.

More rural hospitals are filing bankruptcy, creating medical deserts, where communities have no access to medical care. There could also be more consolidation with healthcare systems buying hospitals and practices. Telehealth is likely also to continue to gain in adoption, especially for digital native patients.

Further, interoperability and data sharing are still challenges. The problem was widely known, and the HHS interoperability rule finalized earlier this year was supposed to close the gaps. Its enforcement has now been postponed. COVID-19 has uncovered all the cracks in the field relating to the accessibility and portability of healthcare data. With everyone’s eyes wide open to these fault lines, the hope is that healthcare will bounce back and be more agile for the current healthcare crisis and what may come tomorrow.

The New Interoperability Rule and COVID-19: Links, Impacts, and Why It Matters

Posted March 30, 2020 by Beth Osborne & filed under Healthcare, Regulatory News.

March has been a tumultuous time in healthcare. The new interoperability rule and COVID-19 will be forever connected. Not just because they defined the healthcare space in 2020, but also because of this pandemic shines a bright light on the problems with healthcare data interoperability. As the entire healthcare ecosystem comes together with challenges and solutions related to both, it’s an ideal time to look at the parallels of these events.

The Pandemic and the Patient

When faced with the possibility of risks related to becoming infected by the coronavirus, patients want to know the risks. Allowing them easy and unobstructed access to the medical history would help. That’s the central objective of the interoperability rule.

Patients have questions and concerns. Physicians want to be able to triage rapidly. And the ability to do this digitally is dependent on data. Data that has been historically hard to share or integrate.

The new rule aims to remove information blocking barriers between providers and payers. With this knowledge, patients can take a more active role in their health, which is critical right now.

The outcome of the adoption of the new interoperability rules should allow patients to become fully engaged in their own health. With access to information, patients could track and assess symptoms, find appropriate care, and contribute their own data to public health efforts.

The Role of the Interoperability Rule in COVID-19

There are several ways that interoperability standards play a role in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Data sharing is more critical than ever

Data sharing has been cumbersome because there were no specific standards or firm mandates to do so. The ability to share data between providers and health officials could make a significant difference in the race to understand and develop a vaccine or treatment for the novel coronavirus.

Per the rule, data must be standardized through FHIR. This is a unique and compelling opportunity for a new frontier in healthcare data sharing. FHIR offers security, privacy, and efficiency.

Screening, telehealth, and triage apps need to be connected to patient data

COVID-19 is highly contagious, which means limited mobility and social distancing. Further, testing for the virus is still slow and disjointed. Many patients are turning to apps for telemedicine, triaging, or screening. But how effective are these apps with the patient’s medical records?

With information about preexisting conditions, age, gender, and other elements, patient care would be more relevant to that patient. It could also help public health officials understand better risk profiles for the virus.

The effectiveness of virtual medical interactions is severely compromised without the ability to exchange data between EHRs and other platforms.

Updating and improving standards of screening and care

Guidelines for screening and treatment of COVID-19 are changing every day. Only a few weeks ago, testing was being limited to those who had traveled outside the country. Now, that’s become irrelevant, as the U.S. has become the epicenter of the pandemic.

With everything in motion, this is another area where interoperability and data exchange could help. As standards of screening and care evolve, the information can be delivered across multiple systems to provide real-time information to patients.

Will COVID-19 Impact the Interoperability Rule Timeline?

Before the COVID-19 outbreak, the 2021 guideline was reasonable. Now, it seems that all impacted parties—providers, payers, and EHR vendors—are finding it difficult to ramp up interoperability processes while also fighting a pandemic.

CMS is hearing the concerns of stakeholders, easing the reporting requirements for 1.2 million clinicians in the Quality Payment Program and other reporting requirements. CMS also said it’s looking at how COVID-19 will impact compliance but has not extended deadlines as of yet.

Challenges and Opportunities Ahead

The interoperability rule and COVID-19 present both challenges and opportunities. What’s apparent is that the demand for data sharing is mission-critical at this time. Find out more about PHI data sharing and how we can be your data liaison. Taking action now could make all the difference in the fight against COVID-19.