23 May Health Data News Roundup: Efficient Data and Value-Based Care; ACO REACH and Advancing Equity; and The Sequoia Project News

Welcome to the Health Data Weekly News Roundup from IMAT Solutions. As the power of data continues to grow in the healthcare arena, today’s care organizations need to be on the forefront of all news and trends to help ensure that their data analytics efforts deliver accountable and informed care. Each week, we will provide you with the actionable news you need to meet these goals.

Efficient Data Sharing Needed for Value-Based Care Transition
For healthcare organizations to successfully transition to value-based care, data sharing methods between providers and payers must be faster, more transparent, and done with trust, according to this recent RevCycle Intelligence article.

ACO REACH and Advancing Equity Through Value-Based Payment
Value-based payment (VBP) models can be a useful tool for reducing health inequities and advancing equity goals, according to this recent Health Affairs article.

Provider Acceptance High for Privately Insured, Medicare Patients
Most office-based physicians accept both new Medicare patients and new privately insured patients, indicating that Medicare beneficiaries have similar access to physicians as individuals with private insurance, an issue brief from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) found.

Cigna Study: Why Employers Should Take a Greater Role in Addressing Teen Mental Health
Mental health concerns are on the rise among teens, and the impact on parents and families is an unmet need employers could address, according to new data from Cigna’s Evernorth show.

The Sequoia Project Releases Draft QHIN Onboarding Procedures for TEFCA
The Sequoia Project, selected by the ONC as the Recognized Coordinating Entity (RCE) to support the implementation of TEFCA, has released additional information regarding the requirements for becoming a Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN).

ONC PHIT Workforce Program Recipients Take Strides Toward Diversity
Only a few months into the ONC Public Health Informatics & Technology Workforce Development Program (PHIT Workforce Program) and recipients have already taken steps to increase the diversity and representation of minority health IT professionals.

How Will The Interoperability Rule Transform Value-Based Care?
The intent of Interoperability and Patient Access regulations is not to give organizations a chance to champion the patient and make healthcare better, according to this MedCity News Op-Ed.