New services, new leader
The CommonWell Health Alliance debuted at the annual HIMSS convention last February amid much fanfare. Many wondered if the new group was just a public relations stunt.
Now, the group focused on interoperability is rolling out services in Chicago, North Carolina and South Carolina. The program’s goal is connecting providers to exchange health data between disparate care settings, according to an announcement.
Is this the first of many announcements to come from the alliance regarding efforts to expand interoperability? Time will tell.
Another new development on the interoperability front is the addition of Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc, to the Office of the National Coordinator of Health IT as its new chief. She has big shoes to fill but I think that someone who helped New Orleans not only rebuild its healthcare system after Hurricane Katrina but dramatically improve it with health IT, has a good chance of being an effective leader on a national level.
How are your interoperability efforts going? Please share your experience.
Beth Walsh
Clinical Innovation + Technology editor
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.