I am sure I am not the only one who has lost count of the times I’ve been asked “Why can’t the systems talk to each other?” or, in more technical terms, “Why don’t we have interoperability?”

For health care providers, choosing the right population health solution path is riddled with apprehensions because of the many challenges that come in the way of a successful PHM implementation. This is not just another blog about the challenges with PHM; it will go in-depth about how it can be done with the willingness to inculcate data-driven initiatives in any given network.

As a person who has advocated the advancements of technology in healthcare- the industry entering a digital era and becoming home to some of the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking new technologies is great to witness. Plus, regardless of one’s stance, it’s great to see quality in healthcare becoming paramount and today, improving patient care, clinical outcomes, empowering patients while reducing cost are some of the few goals providers are after. And what’s the common denominator for all of these goals? Data integration.

Some twenty years ago nobody could have imagined that healthcare data would evolve the way it has and become an intrinsic part of the industry. Today, one of the largest and most complex industries in the U.S. is ripe for data initiatives; however, it is in the hands of the stakeholders to take these initiatives forward. The first giant leap into leveraging big data was made after the widespread adoption of EHRs by most hospitals in the country as it helped physicians with diagnostic advice and treatment guidance.

Although the value-based care train has gained momentum ever since its onset, it’s a long way to the destination. There are a lot of stops along the way, from uprooting the fee-for-service model to comprehensive population health management. These ideas of value-based care and population health management can feel like complex notions, but the advancements in health IT and the work of healthcare organizations- especially accountable care organizations- have attested that big data and analytics are holding true on their promise to drive tangible improvements in care.

Healthcare records are a valuable resource for the healthcare industry because of the information they contain. The ones predominantly in use today are the electronic health records or EHRs. They are stored with, at the very least, lab results, diagnostic imaging results, and hospital visits. If a care provider’s office is hooked into the regional EHR, then care provider visits will come up as well. If a hospital uses electronic charting, all of the records from a hospital visit (vital signs, blood sugar levels, assessments, etc.) will also be on it.

Imagine a patient walks into her physician’s office, swiping off the notification on her smart-watch or phone reminding her of her appointment. The physician too, glances at her computer and with just one click, pulls up the patient’s records. The records have every information, right from her past immunizations to her family’s medical history and the physician bases her questions on the obtained patient history.

The Becker’s Hospital Review 3rd Annual Health IT + Revenue Cycle Conference recently concluded after hosting a range of discussions on modern healthcare. The conference started with a keynote address by the ex-president of the US, George W. Bush. From all over the US, healthcare experts and distinguished thought leaders in the field of health IT gathered here to share useful knowledge to discuss the role of informatics, data analytics, mobile health, EMR issues, trends, and revenue cycle challenges like denials. As many as 150 speakers and 7 keynote speakers from various care organizations around the US attended the event to offer their personal insights and actionable takeaways.

Most of us have a very linear approach when it comes to dealing with data. If A and B are above a definite number, C has to be a certain value. Not just sometimes, but all the time. And I think it’s safe to say that healthcare data isn’t that way. It’s complex and at times inconsistent, making it difficult to perform a linear analysis.

The number of Accountable Care Organizations in the US has grown exponentially. Currently, there are more than 900 public and private ACOs spread out in the U.S. According to a breakthrough report by CMS highlighting the performance of ACOs, a total of $466 million were saved for Medicare in 2015. The key point to notice- only one-third, 31% of the ACOs managed to generate enough savings to qualify for bonuses.