The Latest Research, Commentary, And News From Health Affairs
Monday, May 17, 2021
Dear John,
A growing number of health information exchange networks calls for continued assessment and policy making to improve coordination across health systems.
New Health Information Organization Survey
In the past decade, the number of health information exchange networks has grown to more than one hundred disparate networks at the local,
regional, and national levels. As a result, health care providers often use a variety of different networks and methods to exchange health information. Julia Adler-Milstein and coauthors recently conducted theirsixth national health information organization (HIO) survey. Their work, published in a paper in the May 2021 issue, informs federal policy actions to better coordinate varied approaches to health information exchange. The survey data reveal that the majority of HIOs have achieved a robust level of maturity and scale alongside markedly lower levels of reported technical challenges, compared
with five years prior. However, the results also suggest that some HIOs may struggle to grow their base of participants and revenue unless they offer value-added services. Adler-Milstein will discuss this research onA Health Podyssey podcast later this month. To be among the first to hear it, subscribe to our podcasts anywhere you listen. Today on Health Affairs Blog, Erica Socker and Mark Miller argue that improving the affordability of employer-sponsored insurance will require addressing the irrational and excessive prices we pay for care.
Elevating Voices: Asian American and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month: Leana Wen and Nakisa Sadeghi wrote a Health Affairs Blog post in July 2020 about addressing
racial health disparities in the COVID-19
pandemic. They wrote, “As we begin to reopen and look ahead to the next stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, policy makers, health systems, and public health authorities should turn attention to concrete steps that can be taken to ensure that recurring patterns of health disparities do not repeat themselves."
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