In the early 2000s, Jeff Bezos gave a seminal TED talk entitled “The Metaphor of Power for the Future of the Web.” He argued that the Internet would enable innovation on the same scale as electricity. We are a similar reflection in healthcare, where the recent movement towards data transparency gives birth to a new generation of innovations and beginnings.
Those who are closely following the space have noticed that there are two conflicts going on here: one push for greater transparency about provider and provider data, including anonymous patient data, and another to protect strict privacy for personal patient data. What is the main difference? Anonymous data is much more freely available, although personal data is being locked even harder (as it should be) due to GDPR, CCPA, and similar regulations around the world.
The previous trend is enabling new vendors and services that will ultimately make healthcare better and more transparent for all of us. These new firms could not have existed five years ago. The Affordable Care Act was the first step towards making anonymous information more accessible. Healthcare organizations (such as hospitals and healthcare systems) were needed to disclose cost and outcome information. This includes disclosing detailed information on suppliers.
The law later requires biotech and pharma companies to disclose the money paid to research partners. And every physician in the United States now needs to have a comprehensive public database of suppliers in the National Practitioner Identifier (NPI). These allowed the creation of new types of organizations that gave both patients and providers more control over their data. Here are some key examples of how.
The previous trend is enabling new vendors and services that will ultimately make healthcare better and more transparent for all of us. These new firms could not have existed five years ago. The Affordable Care Act was the first step towards making anonymous information more accessible.
Healthcare organizations (such as hospitals and healthcare systems) were needed to disclose cost and outcome information. This includes disclosing detailed information on suppliers. The law later requires biotech and pharma companies to disclose the money paid to research partners. And every physician in the United States now needs to have a comprehensive public database of suppliers in the National Practitioner Identifier (NPI). These allowed the creation of new types of organizations that gave both patients and providers more control over their data. Here are some key examples of how.
