Datapalooza Highlights the Value of Data

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) held its annual Datapalooza this month, with a theme very familiar to the laboratory sector—the value of data and its impact on health care. The event began seven years ago and at the time only 10 datasets regarding Medicare cost and quality were publicly available. Since then, according to HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell’s keynote address, there are more than 2,100 datasets available on HealthData.gov and adoption of electronic health records has tripled. Laboratories are engaged in ongoing efforts to capitalize on the data they collect from testing and improve interoperability to facilitate more coordinated delivery of health care services. It was in furtherance of these goals that Datapalooza was launched in 2010: to “meaningfully explore[] the power and promise that open health data holds and the opportunity to see how that data can serve patients.”

Burwell discussed in her keynote at the event the amount of currently open public data, which allows improvements and innovation in health care, and expressed HHS’ commitment to working with and supporting industry in efforts to further data accessibility, transparency and cybersecurity. Acting Assistant Secretary for Health Karen DeSalvo, who also serves as the national coordinator for health information technology, commented on the adoption of electronic health records and potential uses of health information: “The data is crying out to be used—and consumers are demanding it. We are at an exciting inflection point—one where technology, policy and demand are poised to change the way we think about, access and use health information to improve care.”

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt issued a directive to the health care industry: “If you have a business model which relies on silo-ing data, not using standards, or not allowing data to follow the needs of patients, pick a new business model or pick a new business.” Slavitt also identified best practices that are particularly relevant to the lab and pathology sector, exhorting stakeholders to 1) avoid contractual limitations that inhibit “plug and play” ability of an information system, 2) use machine readable data that can be called up easily, 3) make patient data accessible to providers in real time “with feeds into their workflow, not your portal”; and 4) use open APIs to allow easy and early sharing of information. “At this stage, there is no room for business practices that don’t match the need of patients,” Slavitt said in his remarks.

Linking the data revolution to the transformation to quality care, Burwell noted that the accessibility of data allows physicians to better coordinate, deliver care to patients more efficiently, and improves decisionmaking. She and Slavitt highlighted efforts to coordinate care in new delivery models like Affordable Care Organizations and medical homes as well as new measurement methodologies to fuel new payment strategies such as the recently launched Quality Payment Program under MACRA (see National Intelligence Report, 5/12/16, p. 1). Finally, they emphasized the need to place patients at the center of health care and empower them to play a more active and informed role in their care. “If we want lasting transformation, we have to change how we as a nation think about care. We have to engage and empower people to take control of their health and be active partners in it,” said Burwell in her keynote remarks.

Takeaway: Datapalooza highlights the ubiquity of and critical need for data in a health care industry shifting its focus, delivery methods and payment models to quality and value.

Editor’s Note: HHS Secretary Burwell’s, CMS Acting Administrator Slavitt’s prepared remarks are available online in the HHS Blog.