Gregg Church, the president of 4medica, talks about the company’s work with healthcare organizations to exchange data and improve patient care. He discusses the move towards interoperability, and how consumers are driving change in healthcare, because they want more access to their data.
Gregg talked about the company’s work with hospitals, health systems, physicians and laboratories to exchange data and improve outcomes.
“Our theme now is really health data quality, ensuring that we have the right information with the right patient at the right time,” he says.
Church says the challenge has been systems that are essentially silos, with data sitting in several different systems.
He also talked about how he sees the need for a nationwide patient ID, an idea which he acknowledges has its opponents. “I’m optimistic, but I still think it’s years away.”
Church also sees more promise that interoperability, the exchange of healthcare information between health systems, payers and patients.
It has been talked about for many years, but Church said it is coming closer to reality. In a promising sign, hospitals are collaborating more often.
“Hospitals are starting to see they can’t hold their data hostage in their own silos,” he says. And he sees requirements for health plans to share data “is a tremendous opportunity for the country.”
Patient care will improve with the greater exchange of data, he says, and consumers are demanding it.
“Consumers are getting smarter,” Church says. “They want better access to their information.”
This article originally appeared on Chief Healthcare Executive®.
