At HIMSS, CMS Prioritizes Patients

This year’s HIMSS conference was filled with announcements of programs and services that are changing the delivery of health care. However, one initiative stood out: the MyHealthEData initiative announced by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS). On Tuesday, CMS Administrator Seema Verma unveiled the initiative, explaining that it is designed to expand patients access and control of their data. The goal, she said, is “making the patient the center of our healthcare system.”

MyHealthEData initiative will be led by the White House Office of American Innovation in partnership with CMS, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), and National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It will focus on giving patients the power to share their health care data with whomever they want and make more informed decisions about their care.

As CMS announcement explained:

MyHealthEData will help to break down the barriers that prevent patients from having electronic access and true control of their own health records from the device or application of their choice. Patients will be able to choose the provider that best meets their needs and then give that provider secure access to their data, leading to greater competition and reducing costs.

During her speech, Verma also unveiled a new platform, Blue Button 2.0 – a “developer-friendly, standards-based API that enables Medicare beneficiaries to connect their claims data to secure applications, services, and research programs that they trust.” The tool will give patients the power to access and share previous prescriptions, treatments, and procedures with a new physician in order to ensure continuity of care.

Here at CNSI, we are thrilled CMS is looking for new ways to increase patient engagement and we look forward to finding new ways to do so in the coming months.

What other programs stood out to you during HIMSS18? Let us know on Twitter @CNSICorp and don’t forget to use the hashtag #HiMSS18.