14 Sep Health Data News Roundup: COVID-19 and Medicare Advantage Star Ratings; CHIME and National Patient Identifier Ban; and More SDOH 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.

How COVID-19 Policies May Affect Medicare Advantage Star Ratings
Policymakers are taking various approaches to minimize negative impacts on Medicare Advantage Star Ratings stemming from the coronavirus.

CHIME Advises ONC to Help Lift National Patient Identifier Ban
CHIME has issued a letter in support of a national patient identifier (NPI) to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), on the need for accurate patient matching, patient identification, and data standards.

GA’s Affordable Care Act Exchange Model Moves to Public Comment
CMS has confirmed that Georgia’s Section 1332 state innovation waiver, which changes the Affordable Care Act exchange model, is complete. The waiver will now move into a public comment period.

How Kaiser Permanente Developed an EHR Registry Using Patient Data
EHR data collected during a patient visit can be leveraged to develop an EHR registry of patients with excessive alcohol use that can be optimized and updated in real-time, Kaiser Permanente researchers reported.

Why Teamwork Is Key to Addressing Social Determinants of Health
Healthcare organizations setting out on a social determinants of health program must rely on community partners to effectively meet patient needs.

How Payers Can Leverage Centers of Excellence to Boost Quality
While the industry struggles to define centers of excellence, there are some key ways that payers can identify these organizations and leverage them to improve quality of care.

More Data Key to Understand AI for Sorting Patient Portal Messages
Artificial intelligence is showing promise in helping providers sort through their patient portal inboxes, but some future fixes are still needed to make the technology truly effective, according to researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC).