Attendees at HIMSS24 next week can home in on health information exchange issues with the day-long Interoperability & HIE Forum taking place Monday, March 11, in Orlando, Florida.

Hosted by HIMSS Senior Director of Connected Health Rob Havasy, there are several key focuses of the forum this year. Among them: Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), which aims to establish a common agreement for sharing health information electronically across different health information networks.

Of particular importance is the anticipated emergence of Qualified Health Information Networks, or QHINs. The forum will delve into the functionalities of these networks within their frameworks and their methods of exchanging information, aiming to equip participants with the knowledge needed to integrate this new information exchange paradigm into their operations.

Key sessions include discussions on the evolution of interoperability, navigating the QHIN maze, understanding data usability and certification, and exploring the role of AI in healthcare interoperability.

Across eight individual forum sessions, attendees will gain insights from key leaders and experts to navigate the shifting landscape of interoperability effectively.

Mariann Yeager, CEO at The Sequoia Project, TEFCA's recognized coordinating entity, kicks off the forum with a discussion on where the industry stands on the journey toward interoperability.

Yeager will delve into the historical timeline of healthcare interoperability, analyzing pivotal moments that have shaped its current landscape, and evaluate the role of QHINs in healthcare data exchange, particularly within the context of the 21st Century CURES Act.

Attendees can also expect a comprehensive overview of healthcare interoperability by distinguishing between networks and frameworks and exploring historical aspects that have influenced its evolution over time.

Holly Miller, chief medical officer at MedAllies, will lead a panel discussion exploring coexistence challenges, technological shifts and uncertainties associated with new frameworks in healthcare interoperability.

Panelists will analyze proposed strategies for improving health data interoperability in this evolving environment and account for perspectives from clinical providers and other stakeholders.

The role of artificial intelligence in interoperability takes center stage during a four-person panel discussion led by Michael Marchant, director of interoperability and innovation at University of California Davis Health.

Leveraging real-world scenarios, the panelists, including Alexander Ding, a member of the Board of Trustees at American Medical Association, will offer insights into maximizing AI's benefits for interoperability and HIE while maintaining ethical standards and patient confidentiality.

The forum will close with a talk from Leavitt Partners principal Ryan Howells, who will offer attendees a look at the future of interoperability over the next decade, covering APIs, apps, and (you guessed it) AI.

Although the past 15 years have focused on digitizing healthcare data, the next decade will prioritize making data actionable through APIs, third-party apps, and AI-driven insights. Howells will explore how ONC and CMS policies, alongside private sector efforts like the CARIN Alliance and FHIR accelerators, are advancing digital health.

The focus will be on how TEFCA, CMS and ONC interoperability rules, and FHIR accelerators drive interoperability and innovation, and how open standards can be leveraged to initiate consumer-focused data strategies.

HIMSS24 is scheduled to take place March 11-15 in Orlando. Learn more and register.

Nathan Eddy is a healthcare and technology freelancer based in Berlin.
Email the writer: nathaneddy@gmail.com
Twitter: @dropdeaded209