Interoperability remained just beyond the horizon
From the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to the CMS to Apple, there was a cacophony of voices in 2018 calling for a system in which patients control their data, allowing it to flow to the right care setting at the right time. But the holy grail of industry-wide interoperability remained elusive.
It was a promising start to the year after both the ONC and the CMS unveiled initiatives aimed at improving interoperability and data portability. But little detail followed either announcement, creating confusion in the industry.
And as of deadline, the industry was still waiting for the ONC’s long-awaited rule on information blocking, which has been hung up at the White House Office of Management and Budget since the fall.
Meanwhile, consumer companies including Apple, Amazon, Google, IBM, Microsoft and Salesforce made moves—one way or another—to make data exchange a reality, primarily by giving patients more power over how their health information is managed.
As more data move around and multiply, there are more opportunities for hackers to get their hands on them. And 2018 was not a good year for breaches.
Between Jan. 1, 2018, and Nov. 30, 333 data breaches were reported to HHS’ Office for Civil Rights, which tracks breaches. These attacks can be expensive, costing each affected organization $4 million on average, according to the Ponemon Institute.