31 Aug Health Data News Roundup: HHS and SDOH; Payers Redesign Referral Networks for SDOH; and OCPH HIE News

Welcome to the Health Data Weekly News Round Up 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.

HHS Targets Social Determinants of Health With Healthy People 2030
The Department of Health & Human Services has outlined its 10-year objectives as part of Healthy People 2030, highlighting targets for addressing the social determinants of health over the next decade.

Payers Redesign Referral Networks for Social Determinants of Health
As Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC) relied on its social needs referral network to meet regional social determinants of health demands during the coronavirus pandemic, the payer watched its relationship with community-based organizations transform.

CA Health Information Exchange Gets State Trusted Exchange Nod
Orange County Partners in Health (OCPH) Health Information Exchange (HIE) has earned California Trusted Exchange Network (CTEN) certification, the organization announced.

Top 4 Recent Health Payer Innovative Consolidations, Partnerships
As the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact has become slightly more manageable, the health payer industry saw some recent healthcare industry merger and acquisition announcements.

EHR Interoperability, Patient Data Access Key to Precision Medicine
The development of the ONC’s final interoperability rule could make precision medicine a reality in the future, according to this recent EHR Intelligence article.

How COVID-19 Affected Member Engagement in Wellness Programs
The coronavirus pandemic may be having an effect on Americans’ exercise life, a recent UnitedHealthcare survey discovered, which may in turn impact payer wellness programming to meet employee expectations.

Health Information Exchange Deal Boosts Interstate Interoperability
The University of Missouri (MU) Tiger Institute Health Alliance (TIHA) announced a partnership with the Lewis And Clark Information Exchange (LACIE), an HIE with more than 30 members throughout Missouri and Kansas, aiming to expand interoperability and patient data exchange across Missouri and Kansas.