Protected health information from Ocean State's online health and human services platform may be part of the cache of personal data posted to the dark web.
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
< + > Top 10 most-read stories of 2024
This past year was a busy one, with new policy changes, cybersecurity challenges, EHR optimization advancements, innovations in patient care and, yes, a whole lot of AI.
< + > Healthcare Interoperability and Cloud Services – 2025 Health IT Predictions
As we wrap up another year and get ready for 2025 to begin, it is once again time for everyone’s favorite annual tradition of Health IT Predictions! We reached out to our incredible Healthcare IT Today Community to get their insights on what will happen in the coming year and boy did they deliver. We in fact got so many responses to our prompt this year, that we have had to narrow them down to just the best and most interesting. Check out the community’s predictions down below and be sure to follow along as we share more 2025 Health IT Predictions!
Check out our community’s Healthcare Interoperability and Healthcare Cloud predictions:
Sufian Chowdhury, CEO at Kinetik
Conquering interoperability will unlock efficiencies. Healthcare spending continues to climb throughout our country, even as healthcare outcomes show little or no improvement. This massive inefficiency within the system is due to the lack of connectivity and data sharing with the healthcare ecosystem. There will be a huge push to unlock efficiency in healthcare, and a key driver will be conquering interoperability.
Despite the wealth of technology available, much of it is underutilized because of fragmentation. Healthcare providers increasingly realize that incorporating technology and sharing data is essential to ensure collaboration and mitigate interoperability. Looking ahead, expect a consortium of companies to come together to address these data challenges. Working as a network rather than in silos, we can tackle inefficiencies in our healthcare system to drive better outcomes.
Sonja Tarrago, MD, Director of Commercial Strategy at DexCare
The future of healthcare hinges on achieving true interoperability, defined as the seamless exchange of patient health information across health systems in a way that improves patient care quality and clinician efficiency. To unlock the full potential of care teams, we must have access to actionable, real-time data. Patients are still coming to their doctor’s appointments frustrated that their provider does not have their records from a recent urgent care visit, previous primary care provider, or a specialist. And providers are still combing through years, sometimes decades, of records to understand the whole patient sitting in front of them. Diagnostic tests are unnecessarily repeated when results are not readily available.
In 2025, true interoperability will be a strategic imperative for healthcare organizations aiming to optimize both patient outcomes and operational efficiency. With frictionless data exchange and automated summarization, clinicians can shift from working in silos to delivering personalized, coordinated care. Real-time access to critical data will empower care teams to identify effective treatments, minimize redundant testing, and enhance decision-making. True interoperability requires a shift in the way we view people, processes, and technology. But this shift can redefine the way healthcare providers engage with patients, driving a more dynamic, agile, and patient-centered model of care delivery.
Mike King, Senior Director, Product and Strategy at IQVIA
Increasing integration between quality, regulatory, and safety teams in pharmaceutical companies as well as the existing strong integrations in these departments in MedTech and IVD organizations. The industry is working to optimize information and data transfer between these groups, aiming to reduce redundancy and minimize manual processes that can introduce risks, whilst also generating process and product insights through technologies such as AI.
Shay Perera, Co-Founder and CTO at Navina
With patient data traditionally siloed, the demand for interoperable systems has never been higher. 2025 will likely be a pivotal year where we see improved but gradual integration between systems, as regulatory bodies and vendors work toward greater consistency and reliability. However, stability and scalability will be essential. These developments will help AI tools access and consolidate data more effectively, paving the way for deeper and more comprehensive connected patient insights. We can also expect to see a surge in connected devices, like heart monitors, integrated directly with EMRs, facilitating a flow of data that creates a fuller patient picture.
Nichole Sweeney, General Counsel and Chief Privacy Officer at CRISP Shared Services
The election saw 7 more states enact new protections related to reproductive health and abortion, joining others in previous years, like Maryland and California–leaving a disparate state regulatory landscape in tension with federal interoperability priorities of former administrations. In 2025, our industry will grapple with new legal and technological implications that, left unsolved, will halt national interoperability or expose patients’ private information in states with less restrictive laws than their home states. We must unite to create a national landscape for operationalizing state-based laws and regulations, honoring both the protections of our federalized system and patient choice while ensuring data critical for care gets to where it needs to go.
Valerie Reich, VP of Healthcare Strategy at Hero Digital
In 2025, healthcare will continue evolving into a connected network of services centered around the consumer. Building on recent trends, we’ll see greater emphasis on interoperability, consumer ownership of data, and the integration of niche service providers with traditional healthcare systems, for example, partnerships between health systems and virtual chronic care solutions. To thrive in this networked landscape, organizations will need to evaluate their role and focus on key factors like discoverability, content, platforms, and overall digital experience.
Carney Taylor, Co-President of Eastern Nephrology Associates at Eastern Nephrology Associates
In the push toward value-based care, more providers will begin to prioritize true interoperability. This will not only help connect the dots in patient care but also support the creation of data platforms that unify patient records across diverse providers which is increasingly important for coordinating complex, personalized care. You can expect healthcare leaders to invest in standards for secure, seamless data sharing, an essential step toward the interconnected intelligence that value-based care promises. We have already begun to see this at scale in nephrology and no doubt will see it reflected across other specialties more in 2025.
Marcus Perez, President at Altera Digital Health
In 2025, the public cloud will continue to play a pivotal role in healthcare’s evolution, driven by the demand for scalability, interoperability, and secure data management. The public cloud will enable advanced analytics and machine learning to process vast healthcare datasets. These capabilities will support predictive analytics, real-time patient monitoring, and personalized care, significantly improving decision-making and patient outcomes. As cyberattacks on healthcare systems increase, robust security measures within public cloud platforms will be critical. Enhanced compliance with regulations like HIPAA and FHIR standards will prioritize the secure exchange and storage of healthcare data. Public cloud infrastructure will bridge gaps between healthcare providers, payers, and pharmaceutical companies, promoting seamless data sharing.
This collaboration will drive innovations such as faster drug development and coordinated patient care. With rising medical costs, public cloud platforms will offer cost-efficient solutions for scaling healthcare services, particularly as demand for telemedicine and digital health grows. Cloud services will enable remote care and decentralized clinical trials, aligning with patient preferences for more accessible and consumer-centric healthcare. Additionally, the public cloud performance and availability enable a reliable platform for providers to deliver a patient-focused healthcare delivery ecosystem.
Craig Mengert, Chief Executive, Cognizant TriZetto Healthcare Products at Cognizant
Over the next one to two years, we’ll see a shift in healthcare Payers moving to the Cloud despite the significant investment it will take. This shift will enable interoperability between providers and payers, allowing providers to make real-time, data-driven decisions and payers to easily access this data to inform their care and claims decisions. Without these investments, Payers will risk losing their competitive edge and won’t be able to further the engagement experiences that members and providers are demanding.
Iddo Peleg, Co-Founder and CEO at Yonalink
The era of fragmented data collection and management in clinical trials is nearing its end. As the volume and complexity of clinical data increase, manual data entry methods, often error-prone and costly, are becoming untenable. Today, 20-35% of a study’s budget is spent on inefficient processes like data verification, driving a shift towards technologies that prioritize automation and integration. The coming year will see accelerated adoption of solutions that directly integrate electronic health records (EHRs) with electronic data capture (EDC) systems, enabling real-time, automated data streaming.
These technologies not only reduce costs and improve accuracy, but enable the integration of real-world data (RWD) into clinical trials, breaking down data silos and fostering seamless collaboration across systems throughout the research process. Cloud-based and interoperable platforms are expected to lead this transformation, addressing challenges like disparate data standards and privacy concerns. These tools will support the creation of faster, lower-cost trials, ultimately enhancing trial outcomes and paving the way for more scalable, accessible, and efficient research methodologies in 2025 and onwards.
Joe DeVivo, CEO at Butterfly Network
As healthcare data has become increasingly digitized and interconnected, concerns about data privacy and security have intensified, requiring a renewed focus on cloud security in healthcare technology. In the coming year, cloud security in healthcare will reach new heights, as companies that are leading the charge become the first to achieve certifications like StateRAMP in medical imaging. The trend toward robust cloud security and certifications in healthcare imaging is expected to accelerate in 2025, as more healthcare institutions recognize the benefits of cloud-based solutions. This shift will likely lead to improved data management, enhanced collaboration among healthcare professionals, and, ultimately, better patient care through more secure and efficient medical technologies.
Chris Thomas, Chief Revenue Officer at AlgoSec
Healthcare organizations are under pressure to balance rapid resource deployment with the fortification of digital infrastructure, applications, and systems while facing increased cyber threats. To address this challenge, we will likely see increased utilization of cloud technology, which will provide opportunities for concepts like hybrid ecosystems to integrate traditional data centers with cloud solutions, allowing for increased efficiency and reduced risk.
Additionally, as healthcare cyber threats such as ransomware and insider attacks continue to rise, we will see more healthcare organizations adopting a zero-trust cybersecurity approach. Zero-Trust, which requires verification for all access to a network or application, can help healthcare organizations combat ransomware by implementing segmentation strategies and access controls that prevent patient information leakage and minimize the attack surface to contain ransomware threats.
Alicia Staley, Vice President, Patient Engagement at Medidata
From clinical trials to everyday care, technology, especially artificial intelligence, has the potential to transform the patient experience. IT leaders must work to reinforce data interoperability across providers, granting patients unprecedented access to their medical records and empowering them to take control of their healthcare journeys. Simultaneously, providers will gain access to comprehensive medical histories, better equipping them to provide personalized care to their patients.
Technology is also reshaping the clinical trial space by promoting accessibility and engagement through telemedicine and remote monitoring, reducing historical burdens on participants, and enhancing diversity in clinical trials. As we look to 2025, leaders must drive technological innovations that are purpose-built to improve the patient experience and the delivery of care, fostering a more equitable, accessible, and comprehensive healthcare system.
Thank you so much to everyone who took the time out of their day to submit a prediction to us and thank you to all of you for taking the time to read this article! We could not do this without all of your support. What do you think will happen for interoperability and the Cloud in 2025? Let us know on social media. We’d love to hear from all of you!
Be sure to check out all of Healthcare IT Today’s Interoperability and Cloud content and our other 2025 Health IT Predictions.
< + > Verisma Acquires Olah, Streamlining Patient Data Management for Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities Nationwide
Advances Strategy to be the Leading End-to-End, Secure, Intelligent Data Management Company
Verisma, a leading provider of intelligent health data management solutions, announces today the company is acquiring Olah Healthcare Technology. Olah’s Enterprise Archiving Solution (EAS) seamlessly integrates with electronic health records (EHR), offering secure and efficient ways to retire, archive, and access legacy data. Together, the companies will empower healthcare providers with a scalable, interoperable, and trusted platform safeguarding patient information, enhancing regulatory compliance, and optimizing data accessibility and security.
“Olah is thrilled to join Verisma,” says Chad Hill, CEO at Olah joining as SVP of Data Archiving at Verisma. “We’re eager to further invest in our EAS capabilities to continue to simplify the archiving process while leveraging Verisma’s expertise to improve data management. We look forward to driving efficiency gains, saving providers money, and reducing IT frustration – allowing the focus to remain on patient care.”
Verisma, honored for the fifth consecutive year as the top release of information (ROI) and audit management provider in Black Book’s 2024 client survey, has been a trusted partner in patient privacy and data management for over 22 years – now supporting 20,000 healthcare facilities nationwide. With this extensive experience, Verisma has a unique perspective on data usage and is well-equipped to integrate archiving into a comprehensive data management solution built on the promise to protect truth and accuracy.
At the time of publication, the Data Archiving 2024 report by KLAS Research rated Olah the highest company among KLAS segments in their market – highlighting the organization’s strengths in flexibility, interoperability, and strong customer support. Black Book’s 2023 and 2024 user surveys also recognized Olah as a top-performing vendor driving the industry forward in Enterprise Data Archiving and Migration.
“Acquiring Olah furthers Verisma’s vision to be the market leader in data management across the healthcare continuum,” says Marty McKenna, President and CEO at Verisma. “Millions of patient records are accessed and delivered between systems and non-healthcare third parties every day – creating the need for health systems to partner with a technology vendor to manage this process in a private, secure, and compliant manner. Providers require a trusted solution, and we’re a one-stop shop delivering the complete picture – helping manage accurate patient data across multiple sources flowing into, and out of, systems reliably.”
About Olah
Olah makes it easy for healthcare systems and hospitals to let go of old applications without letting go of the critical information inside them. Olah’s modern enterprise archiving solution (EAS) can move just one or all critical legacy systems at once using lift-and-shift technology that preserves data integrity and vital access. Olah’s solution works for any system, from EMRs to business systems, patient records to finance. For more information, please visit olahht.com.
About Verisma
Verisma’s leading technology and solutions empower healthcare providers to streamline the exchange of protected health information (PHI) that facilitates value-based care programs, bridges gaps in care coordination, and supports legal proceedings. Verisma’s HITRUST-certified technology enhances interoperability to deliver cutting-edge release of information (ROI) and care coordination solutions (CCS) adhering to the highest standards in data security and patient protection. For more information, please visit verisma.com.
Originally announced November 20th, 2024
Monday, December 30, 2024
< + > Top 15 largest U.S. healthcare provider data breaches of 2024
It was another record-breaking year for healthcare cyberattacks, and healthcare providers' network servers were again prime targets for hackers.
< + > HHS releases notice of HIPAA Security Rule update
The agency seeks to make its first HIPAA Security Rule update since 2013 to clarify what health plans, healthcare clearinghouses, providers and their business associates must do to protect the security of electronic protected health information.
< + > CIO Podcast – Episode 87: CHIME and KLAS Synergy Awards with Jeffrey Sturman
For the 87th episode of the CIO podcast hosted by Healthcare IT Today, we are joined by Jeffrey Sturman, Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Information Officer at Memorial Healthcare System to talk about their recent wins of the CHIME and KLAS Synergy Award! We kick this episode off with Sturman sharing what it means to him and his organization to have won the KLAS Arch Pinnacle Award focused on EHR User Experience and the CHIME Digital Health Most Wired (9 or above) focused on Digital Health Innovation Award which combined won them the CHIME and KLAS Synergy award. Then we talk about what it took to achieve these awards and why other CIOs should strive to earn them with their own teams. Next, Sturman shares what he heard from clinicians during this process as well as what he did after learning from them. We then talk about how Sturman leverages the EHR and other IT and AI to both meet his current needs and prepare for his future needs. Next, we discuss the other efforts Sturman has been working on that are making an impact. Lastly, we conclude this episode with Sturman sharing the best piece of advice he’s gotten in his career.
Here’s a look at the questions and topics we discuss in this episode:
- What does it mean to you and your organization to win the CHIME and KLAS Synergy Award (KLAS Arch Pinnacle Award and CHIME Digital Health Most Wired (9 or above))?
- What did it take to achieve these awards? Why should other CIOs strive to work with their teams to earn them?
- What did you hear from clinicians in the process? What are some of the things you did after learning from them?
- How are you leveraging the EHR and other IT and AI to meet your needs? How are they preparing you for future needs?
- What are some of the other efforts you’re working on that are making an impact?
- What’s the best piece of advice you’ve gotten in your career?
Now, without further ado, we’re excited to share with you the next episode of the CIO Podcast by Healthcare IT Today.
We release a new CIO Podcast every ~2 weeks. You can also subscribe to the Healthcare IT Today podcast on any of the following platforms:
NOTE: We’ll be updating the links below as the various podcasting platforms approve the new podcast. Check back soon to be able to subscribe on your favorite podcast application.
Thanks for listening to the CIO Podcast on Healthcare IT Today and if you enjoy the content we’re sharing, please rate the podcast on your favorite podcasting platform.
Along with the popular podcasting platforms above, you can Subscribe to Healthcare IT Today on YouTube. Plus, all of the audio and video versions will be made available to stream on HealthcareITToday.com.
We’d love to hear what you think of the podcast and if there are other healthcare CIO you’d like to see us have on the program. Feel free to share your thoughts and perspectives in the comments of this post with @techguy on Twitter, or privately on our Contact Us page.
We appreciate you listening!
Listen to the Latest Episodes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)