How can we improve the health-related information sharing in a way that improves our health?

A 2015 Health Affairs research article reported that “despite the abundance of observational studies finding a beneficial relationship between HIE and outcomes, there is currently no strong evidence to suggest that HIE is causally related to any widespread generalizable benefits.”

Are we modeling our health data sharing regulation similar to “interconnection regulation” in the telecommunications industry? Healthcare is more complicated, and there are too many other environmental factors to create useful feedback into our HIE regulations.

Debra Draper, Director of Health Care Issues, GAO testified before Congress about concern over “the lack of outcome-oriented goals and metrics that would more clearly define what VA and the Department of Defense aim to achieve from their interoperability efforts”. The VA has a defined beneficiary population, is a provider, a payer, provides grants for social determinant support organizations, and has the research capability. The VA is a natural organization to lead the research. The GAO opened the door for the VA to elevate data sharing research above the HIE level. Will the VA step through?

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2014.0729