In our first post in the Digital Dividends blog series, we explored how more individuals than ever are accessing and using their health information online, especially those managing chronic conditions or a recent cancer diagnosis. In this post, we look at how U.S. hospitals are helping enable that access, with a focus on where policy priorities, patient demand, and industry efforts have aligned to deliver on the promise of digitalization.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy/Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC), released the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: ASTP/ONC Deregulatory Actions to Unleash Prosperity (HTI-5) Proposed Rule.

In collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary’s office, the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC) has released a request for information (RFI) focused on one big question: What would it look like if we put the whole of HHS toward accelerating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in clinical care?

In July our colleagues at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched an ambitious Health Technology Ecosystem pledge program. The groundswell of energy and enthusiasm for the program has been remarkable, and we’re glad to be their partner.

We all know what it’s like to get forms completed with all the right information (and to get it done quickly!), and patients seeking determinations on their eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance know this all too well. Patients and providers often spend significant time and resources retrieving, reviewing, copying, and transmitting relevant medical records. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Social Security Administration (SSA) are taking on the challenge to improve this process through the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement™ (TEFCA™).