Newly finalized rules that will implement provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act aim to facilitate greater interoperability in healthcare, minimize data blocking, and provide patients with greater access to their own data. While these outcomes will be beneficial, the onslaught of data in response to the increase in information flow will bring about new challenges for EHR developers, healthcare systems, and providers alike.
Despite these challenges, there are exciting opportunities to harness the power of this wave of data and achieve the potential for improved analytics and higher quality patient care. By implementing processes to normalize data to clinically granular concepts, information can be aggregated, and cohort identification can become more precise. And, with common clinical terminology along with more robust, precise data sets, providers will be better equipped to address population health concerns such as sepsis, diabetes, and COVID-19.
Andrew S. Kanter, MD, MPH, FACMI, FAMIA |
Matt Cardwell, PhD |