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Today in Health IT

CHIME Fall Forum 21 – G.P. Singh with Ellkay

Questions answered in this episode

  1. How are health systems solving interoperability across 100+ different EHR instances?
  2. Can FHIR APIs finally write data back into the EHR securely?
  3. Why are actionable insights better than raw remote patient monitoring data?
  4. How do clinical data repositories consolidate patient records across disparate systems?
  5. What's the maturity level of FHIR standards in healthcare today?

About this episode

G.P. Singh stops by to discuss the state of interoperability in healthcare.

Transcript

Bill Russell 00:00:03 Today in health, it interviews from the chime Bill Russell 00:00:05 conference in San Diego. Bill Russell 00:00:07 My name is bill Russell. Bill Russell 00:00:08 I'm a former CIO for a 16 hospital system and creator of this week in health. Bill Russell 00:00:11 It a channel dedicated to keeping health it staff current and engaged. Bill Russell 00:00:16 Just a quick reminder. Bill Russell 00:00:17 I wouldn't be dropping interviews over the next couple of days and into Bill Russell 00:00:20 next week from the chime conference. Bill Russell 00:00:23 And then I'm going to have some more interviews from the next conference I Bill Russell 00:00:27 want to be going to, and then eventually I'll get back to Florida and to the studio Bill Russell 00:00:32 where we'll start looking at the news. Bill Russell 00:00:33 Once again. Bill Russell 00:00:34 Hope you enjoy this interview. Bill Russell 00:00:36 All right. Bill Russell 00:00:36 Another interview from the chime floor. Bill Russell 00:00:38 We're here with GPC with LK. Bill Russell 00:00:40 Hi, how are you? Bill Russell 00:00:41 Good. Bill Russell 00:00:41 I'm looking forward to the conversation. Bill Russell 00:00:42 So thank you for having me. Bill Russell 00:00:44 I would normally ask what's top of mind, but top of mind Bill Russell 00:00:47 for you is interoperability. Bill Russell 00:00:48 I GP Singh 00:00:48 interrupted, but it is the big thing that everybody's spending Solomon. GP Singh 00:00:52 Yeah, that'd be at the Bill Russell 00:00:53 top of my mind. Bill Russell 00:00:54 So what kind of conversations in what aspect are they looking at? Bill Russell 00:00:57 Interoperability? Bill Russell 00:00:58 Is it, is it broadly to share information with, with other health systems? Bill Russell 00:01:02 Is it sharing it with consumers? Bill Russell 00:01:03 Is it RJ? Bill Russell 00:01:04 Just all of it. GP Singh 00:01:05 It's, you know, what's, what's been really interesting is that, uh, GP Singh 00:01:08 you know, the healthcare systems have really evolved around having shared data. GP Singh 00:01:12 So it isn't just between systems. GP Singh 00:01:14 It's now with a lot of the digital health systems that are out there, there's a lot GP Singh 00:01:18 of the digital front door applications. GP Singh 00:01:21 Patient engagement applications out there. GP Singh 00:01:23 Um, so digital health has really taken off in a big way in the last couple of years GP Singh 00:01:28 with COVID obviously in addition to that there's pop health platforms, there's life GP Singh 00:01:32 sciences, there's, uh, you know, working with all of the networks out there. GP Singh 00:01:36 So there's a lot that happens in the hospital or healthcare GP Singh 00:01:39 system around exchange of data. GP Singh 00:01:41 And so interoperability really plays Bill Russell 00:01:42 a key role. Bill Russell 00:01:43 What about, uh, so 21st century cures, is that spurred that on a little bit or. Bill Russell 00:01:48 Naturally happening as a result of our digital transformation, GP Singh 00:01:51 that's been part of the deal with the 21st century cures act as there's GP Singh 00:01:56 been a lot of emphasis on, on being able to allow for easy exchange of data. GP Singh 00:02:02 Uh, but also COVID Israeli, um, made that even more imperative GP Singh 00:02:07 because telehealth was almost like people were kind of working. GP Singh 00:02:11 It wasn't obvious that there was going to be a lot of folks using it, but GP Singh 00:02:15 COVID has really changed that around. GP Singh 00:02:17 It's gained a lot of acceptance and Vitale help, you know, a lot GP Singh 00:02:20 of the digital health applications that have really gained acceptance. GP Singh 00:02:23 So, uh, a lot of those factors out there, so Bill Russell 00:02:26 LK is pretty much agnostic, right? Bill Russell 00:02:28 You're not like pushing a single tool or, or solution at this GP Singh 00:02:32 point, you know, elk is, has been in business for about what 20 years. GP Singh 00:02:36 Uh, you know, we've built the platform. GP Singh 00:02:38 Time, uh, we're known as a healthcare data plumbers, uh, for a reason GP Singh 00:02:42 because we understand healthcare data plumbing better than I think better GP Singh 00:02:46 than a lot of other folks out there. GP Singh 00:02:47 So, uh, we have a platform that's been built to enable, uh, data exchange GP Singh 00:02:52 across, uh, different entities, different types of applications. GP Singh 00:02:56 And we have our own interface engine that really has been GP Singh 00:02:59 developed within the organization. GP Singh 00:03:01 When you think about it, nine of the 10 labs in the country, work with us, GP Singh 00:03:03 we're pretty big in the lab space. GP Singh 00:03:05 We're pretty big into data, archiving data migration space. GP Singh 00:03:08 We're pretty big in the ambulatory space, right. GP Singh 00:03:12 And then of course, in the interoperability space, and now all GP Singh 00:03:15 of a sudden, the bare space, we're making some headway over there. GP Singh 00:03:18 So across a lot of segments in that sense. GP Singh 00:03:20 So I'm going to give Bill Russell 00:03:21 you my use case and I'd love to just bat it around. Bill Russell 00:03:26 Uh, Southern California, we weren't able to employ the docs. Bill Russell 00:03:28 So we had a foundation model. Bill Russell 00:03:30 We ended up with a hundred different instances of the EHR. Bill Russell 00:03:32 It's not like we could have said, Hey, we're all going to a single EHR. Bill Russell 00:03:36 That'll solve the issue that was not even on the table. Bill Russell 00:03:38 Right. Bill Russell 00:03:39 So we had to figure out how to build a first, the clinically integrated network. Bill Russell 00:03:42 And so with the clinically integrated network, you have to have the metrics Bill Russell 00:03:45 that you're going to be providing back to those, to those physicians, Bill Russell 00:03:48 to, you know, make value, create value from that, from that network. Bill Russell 00:03:53 So there was a lot of disparate systems. Bill Russell 00:03:54 We had to bring all that data together. Bill Russell 00:03:56 We had to put it into a, you know, some sort of, of, of data analytics engine. Bill Russell 00:04:03 And then we had to produce things and get it back into the workflow so Bill Russell 00:04:07 that they could, could utilize it. Bill Russell 00:04:10 Is that, so I was trying to solve that in 20 12, 20 13. Bill Russell 00:04:14 Have we solved that or GP Singh 00:04:15 is that still so, so we've solved that to a large extent. GP Singh 00:04:18 Um, you know, we've got something known as a clinical data. GP Singh 00:04:21 Where we bring in data from disparate systems in a community health GP Singh 00:04:23 systems out of Indiana uses us. GP Singh 00:04:25 For example, you know, where, you know, when a patient walks into an epic GP Singh 00:04:30 instance, right, or into a hospital and they're primary care setting on all GP Singh 00:04:34 kinds of different systems out there, we're able to bring that data into GP Singh 00:04:38 our CDX platform, make that available through epic or through Cerner or GP Singh 00:04:42 whatever system they might be out there. GP Singh 00:04:44 So that you'll get the holistic view of what the patients, you know, uh, record. GP Singh 00:04:50 And then that same platform then becomes helpful to be able to feed a GP Singh 00:04:53 lot of the analytics and the quality platforms and be able to feed that. GP Singh 00:04:58 So the pop health vendors use us for that. GP Singh 00:05:00 Uh, a lot of the, uh, folks that are around aggregating data for GP Singh 00:05:04 life sciences, trials and clinical trials users for that, because, you GP Singh 00:05:08 know, we clearly have demonstrated the ability to bring all of that. GP Singh 00:05:12 And create that sort of a consolidated view of that data. GP Singh 00:05:15 So we are doing that right now across, so a lot of customers, the Bill Russell 00:05:19 mature, and, and I'm not throwing this out as a buzzword, Bill Russell 00:05:21 that's going to solve the world. Bill Russell 00:05:22 I understand its limitations, but what's the maturity level Bill Russell 00:05:25 of, of, of fire right now. GP Singh 00:05:28 You know, um, fire has been on fire for awhile, GP Singh 00:05:32 again, kind of using the Domo. GP Singh 00:05:35 There's still a lot of work that needs to be done. GP Singh 00:05:37 Uh, just as an example, you know, a lot of the EMR companies have GP Singh 00:05:41 enabled fire to access data out of the EMR, but still not enabled to GP Singh 00:05:44 be able to write back into the EMR. GP Singh 00:05:46 So there's, there's still a lot of work that needs to be done GP Singh 00:05:48 around that, but it's definitely moving in the right direction. GP Singh 00:05:52 And I think in the next few years, we are going to see some more levels of maturity, GP Singh 00:05:55 but I wouldn't call it fully mature, but, um, you know, it's kind of getting there, Bill Russell 00:06:01 right. Bill Russell 00:06:01 Writing data back into the. Bill Russell 00:06:04 Has has always been one of those things that we are very cautious of because Bill Russell 00:06:08 you're, you're, it's, it's the system of record around the patients, right. Bill Russell 00:06:13 Health and those kinds of things. Bill Russell 00:06:14 Plus we don't want to, we don't want to clog it up. Bill Russell 00:06:16 So even though we can connect to all these really cool devices and pull that data Bill Russell 00:06:20 in, uh, the personal devices and whatnot, we're, we're still reluctant to bring Bill Russell 00:06:26 that data in as are we, are we starting to figure out ways to, to incorporate that. GP Singh 00:06:31 Yeah. GP Singh 00:06:31 So, so what you're saying is, right, right. GP Singh 00:06:33 I mean, there's so much data that ultimately is that data even going to GP Singh 00:06:37 get used by anybody that is in somebody even going to look at it with everything GP Singh 00:06:41 is just kind of put back into the EMR. GP Singh 00:06:43 There's gotta be a certain process and a certain, uh, way to kind of, you know, GP Singh 00:06:48 bring that data in maybe, you know, insights from that data is probably GP Singh 00:06:52 more helpful than just your raw data. GP Singh 00:06:54 Right. GP Singh 00:06:54 And maybe bringing those insights into the EMR might be a better way GP Singh 00:06:57 to, to kind of really have actually. GP Singh 00:07:00 Uh, you know, goals that are so instead Bill Russell 00:07:02 of moving my, every time I step on the scale and to the EHR, Bill Russell 00:07:06 you're essentially letting the doctor know this information sits outside Bill Russell 00:07:10 of there, but there's intellects being run against it that says, Bill Russell 00:07:13 Hey, Bill's put on 10 pounds since GP Singh 00:07:15 COVID started. GP Singh 00:07:16 Exactly. GP Singh 00:07:16 I think something along those lines might be a better approach, although, GP Singh 00:07:19 you know, right now, when you think about it, right, this patient intake systems, GP Singh 00:07:23 patient intake systems are getting data from Pittsburgh data sources from the. GP Singh 00:07:29 And really taking a lot of information in front of help and move that into sort of GP Singh 00:07:34 a pre, uh, encounter sort of data, right. GP Singh 00:07:38 That data model works. GP Singh 00:07:39 Right? GP Singh 00:07:39 So those situations were, but then the RPN space where there's GP Singh 00:07:42 remote patient monitoring, that's happening, we're working with a lot GP Singh 00:07:45 of remote patient monitoring vendors. GP Singh 00:07:47 Uh, what we're seeing over there is the companies that have sending insights GP Singh 00:07:51 are actionable insights are probably have a better chance of engagement GP Singh 00:07:55 with the providers rather than. GP Singh 00:07:57 Plain and simple take all the data and throw it into the EMR, which really GP Singh 00:08:01 doesn't generate the same sort of that. Bill Russell 00:08:03 I love the, uh, data plumbers. Bill Russell 00:08:06 I don't know if you're trying to go away from it or whatnot. Bill Russell 00:08:07 Cause I know some people struggle with that, but that is Indic that's Bill Russell 00:08:11 essentially what you're trying to do is you're, you know, we look out Bill Russell 00:08:15 in the city of San Diego, right? Bill Russell 00:08:16 We don't see the plumbing. Bill Russell 00:08:17 We don't see all the things, but if it wasn't there so many things. GP Singh 00:08:22 Which is exactly what LK is about. GP Singh 00:08:23 There are so many places there they don't know LK is because they fully provide the GP Singh 00:08:28 plumbing, uh, you know, uh, for, for a lot of these organizations and health systems, GP Singh 00:08:33 but that's what we're really good at. GP Singh 00:08:34 And, uh, you know, we want to continue doing that and I don't think we're GP Singh 00:08:37 going to move away from plumbing. GP Singh 00:08:38 Plumbing is going to be our core business versus Chiefy. GP Singh 00:08:41 Thank you for your time. GP Singh 00:08:42 Thanks a lot. GP Singh 00:08:43 Appreciate it, bill. Bill Russell 00:08:44 Don't forget to check back as we have more of these interviews Bill Russell 00:08:47 coming to you, that's all for today. Bill Russell 00:08:49 If you know of someone that might benefit from our channel, Bill Russell 00:08:51 please forward them a note. Bill Russell 00:08:52 They can subscribe on our website this week, health.com or wherever you listen Bill Russell 00:08:56 to podcasts, apple, Google, overcast, Spotify, Stitcher, you get the picture. Bill Russell 00:09:00 We are everywhere. Bill Russell 00:09:01 We want to thank our channel sponsors who are investing in our mission to Bill Russell 00:09:04 develop the next generation of health. Bill Russell 00:09:06 VMware Hill-Rom Starbridge advisors, McAfee and Aruba networks. Bill Russell 00:09:11 Thanks for listening.

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