Patient Data Access: What is Means for 2020 and Beyond

Not too long ago, The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology released the 2020-2025 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan, a plan for incorporating new health tech so as to improve the overall effectiveness of care. Unsurprisingly, interoperability and patient data access were two very prevalent topics of discussion within the plan.

Making Patient Data Accessible

In reality, the issue being tackled today has remained the same for quite some time, none of the patient data taken in with tech like EHRs is actually being made available to patients. Not only that, this data isn’t made accessible to healthcare providers across different networks without hassle either. 

In the wake of such industry-wide shifts, the ONC’s plan calls for apps that will make access to patient data streamlined. Furthermore, by allowing third party developers to throw their hats into the patient data ring as well, the goal is to eliminate the private interests of businesses that currently have that data locked away. 

Opening up the market in this way, according to the plan, will also encourage innovation and competition in the health IT space that will hopefully result in “new solutions for better care and improved outcomes.” 

What Benefits Will Patient Data Access Bring?

Patient Empowerment

Healthcare providers have realized that keeping the patient at the center of healthcare is key. The more an active role a patient plays and the more they understand their conditions, the better their outcomes. 

For example, having access to information such as their current health and their projected results should they follow doctor’s orders will motivate patients to self-manage symptoms and increase healthy behaviors. 

Furthermore, since part of the ONC’s plan involves making healthcare costs more transparent, patients can find facilities that deliver more quality at a price they can afford while also enticing providers to move towards a more value-based care system.  

Value-Based Care 

Value-based care refers to payment for healthcare services being linked to patient outcomes rather than simply charging a flat fee for procedures. The goal of this shift being to incentivize providers to deliver better care while also improving patient satisfaction and outcomes. 

Conveniently, making patient data and healthcare costs freely accessible as per the ONC’s plan allows patients to make more educated decisions on which provider they turn to. This in turn incentivizes providers to deliver better care based around value and effectiveness since they’ll now be competing with other providers who are now more visible to the average patient.

Interoperability

If patients are given access to their healthcare data, sharing that data becomes as simple as handing their phone to their doctor. No more worrying about what data is transferable between different EHRs, no more worrying about HIPAA compliant messaging between doctors. Data can be shared quickly and easily, meaning care doesn’t need to take a back seat to EHR compatibility.  

How Will Health IT Help Reach Patient Data Goals?

Tech will essentially keep transforming the way it has been. We’ll likely continue to see the embracing of wearable technology since they provide such valuable insight for practices like population health management and clinical collaboration. 

In fact, the hike in popularity for wearables will likely surge exponentially due to third parties now being able to gain access to patient health. Google’s recent acquisition of Fitbit and partnerships with Ascension are a harbinger for that. Apple is even beginning to develop their Apple Watch into a medical-monitoring device according to their last few public announcements. 

Device manufacturers looking to compete with wearables or portable tech must narrow their focus on health data security with authentication hardware such as RFID readers, CAC readers, or even biometric scanners. 

Furthermore, the Apple Watch and comparable devices from Google are primarily consumer grade. Manufacturers for the health space will want to double down on their specialization in that field. Consider features such as antimicrobial bodies and fanless designs that won’t circulate harmful bacteria.   

2020 Could be Big for Interoperability

Interoperability has seemed like a far-fetched goal for quite some time, but, should patient data transparency be embraced fully, 2020 and beyond might finally show us some broken ground on creating a truly interconnected, collaborative, value-based healthcare system.