Friends:
This past Friday, we were delighted to hold our first full-day forum specifically focused on health data in states, counties, cities, and communities at 1871, a digital co-working space in the heart of Chicago. Nearly 200 attendees joined us from across the public and private spheres and from across the country to talk about putting health data to work.
Over the course of the event, we explored a number of key themes:
- The power of health data and data driven approaches, discussing the real and transformative impacts possible when we truly unleash the data;
- Data as “the great equalizer,” helping to identify and eliminate disparities in the system and opportunities to improve access and fairness in the system;
- Government’s role as a catalyst; and
- How “it takes a village” of the private and public sector united to put health data to work.
To launch the day, Cristal Thomas, Deputy Governor of Illinois, and Dr. LaMar Hasbrouck, the Director of Public Health for Illinois, both spoke of the dedication of the State of Illinois to fostering an environment of open and transparent health data. Bryan Sivak, the CTO of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, then talked about the federal government’s open data efforts and vision. His own passion for health data innovation and its role in driving positive change in the U.S. health care system helped set the tone for the day.
The event included numerous keynotes from leaders in the field, including Dr. Gary Puckrein, President of the National Minority Quality Forum and Dr. Kaveh Safavi, Managing Director of Accenture’s Health and Public Service Practice. It was also peppered with entrepreneurial showcases from exciting startups like higi, Purple Binder, and Moxe Health; and case studies from San Diego County to the Chicago Health Atlas. These presentations grounded the discussions and helped demonstrate how innovators and innovative programs powered by health data are already remaking our health care system.
Rounding out the day, we asked a number of leaders in the health data space for predictions on the future of health data in states and communities. The group agreed that the power of health data is extraordinary, but there was also a tone of cautious optimism. We have much to do, and the cultural and political barriers may be bigger than the technological ones. In particular,
- How do put the “consumers” first in the new health data powered system?
- How do we prepare and help educate and train patients and doctors for the oncoming onslaught of new data and information?
- How can we translate the importance of open health data into tangible and measurable ROI?
There is still much work to be done…
We want to extend a special thanks to our partners, the State of Illinois, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and 1871, who helped make the day a reality, as well as to our supporters, the California HealthCare Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Esri. As you might imagine, bringing an event like this to life really does take a village.
If you’re interested in seeing for yourself what it means to put health data to work in our states and communities, snippets from the day were captured on Twitter at #heatlhdata. Additionally, video recordings and photos from the event will soon be posted on our website. Check back frequently and follow us on Twitter at @hdconsortium for word of when this information will be available.
Truth be told, the day emboldened us. We will build on this format, partnering with other organizations across the country, to bring the open health data message to every corner of the health system. Stay tuned!
All the best,
Dwayne Spradlin
CEO Health Data Consortium