Health API Guy

Health API Guy dives into the intricacies of healthcare technology, focusing on electronic health records, integration, digital health, and regulatory challenges. It explores the balance between innovation and privacy, the role of standards like FHIR, and the impact of big tech in healthcare. The content combines analysis of current trends with forward-looking perspectives on integration, interoperability, and regulatory landscapes.

Healthcare Technology Electronic Health Records (EHR) Digital Health Healthcare Integration and Interoperability Regulatory Challenges in Healthcare Healthcare Standards Privacy and Identity Verification Healthcare Data Healthcare Policy Innovation in Healthcare

The hottest Substack posts of Health API Guy

And their main takeaways

Why Identity in Healthcare Sucks

609 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Healthcare Identity Privacy Technology Modernization
  1. Identity in healthcare is facing challenges in the digital era, with traditional methods like access codes and knowledge-based questions showing flaws.
  2. Healthcare organizations need to modernize their identity verification processes to provide a low-friction, secure, and private user experience.
  3. Increasing digital engagement through improved identity flows can benefit both patients and healthcare providers, leading to higher satisfaction and improved access to healthcare data.

Super Integration Fighter III

530 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
🕹 Technology APIs Integration
  1. Integration with healthcare organizations can be achieved through three primary paths: direct-to-database, robotic process automation (screen-scraping), and sanctioned interfaces.
  2. Direct-to-database integration offers high potential but comes with challenges like varying schemas, brittle connections, and strict security protocols.
  3. Robotic process automation (screen-scraping) provides automation of repetitive tasks, easier access to data shown on user interfaces, and less complex security challenges compared to direct-to-database integration.

How to win friends and integrate systems

569 implied HN points • 22 Aug 22
  1. Integration is a common challenge across industries, not just in healthcare.
  2. Not all software is the same, so integration solutions need to be tailored to the specific needs of different organizations.
  3. Creating an effective EHR integration strategy requires considering factors like user needs, data flow, market segmentation, and investment willingness.

Sliding into the CMS' DMs (again)

78 implied HN points • 11 Sep 23
🏥 Health Politics Regulation
  1. Regulation is a collaborative process with input from all stakeholders.
  2. Flexpa provides reliable access to claims data for various healthcare entities.
  3. Payer regulation is constantly evolving and becoming more challenging.

Amazon and the Presumption of Guilt

314 implied HN points • 24 Jul 22
  1. Amazon's acquisition of One Medical is more about consumer distribution than data play
  2. There is a presumption of guilt towards big tech companies like Amazon in healthcare
  3. Amazon's organizational structure, data integration complexity, and regulatory environment make it difficult for them to misuse patient data
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The Scheduling Conundrum

353 implied HN points • 09 May 22
  1. Patients want the same ease of access for doctor's appointments as they have for other services like booking flights or making restaurant reservations.
  2. Direct scheduling benefits physicians by optimizing patient utilization and reducing administrative burden.
  3. Challenges to implementing direct scheduling include triage considerations, different types of visits, and the unpredictability of patient operations.

To E(HR) or not to E(HR)

746 implied HN points • 17 Feb 21
  1. The digital health industry is experiencing a surge in specialized provider organizations using technology to improve patient care.
  2. There are three main categories in digital health: patient apps, provider software, and provider organizations.
  3. Digital health organizations face the decision of whether to buy an existing EHR system or continue building their own, with challenges and potential future paths to consider.

Digital Health Consolidation

216 implied HN points • 06 Apr 22
  1. Consolidation in digital health is gaining traction due to mature tech companies and industry funding
  2. Mergers in D2C organizations aim to increase patient LTV through vertical integration and cross-selling
  3. Healthcare companies are also merging to expand into more complex reimbursement markets for increased distribution

The Gang Explains Information Blocking: HIPAA

275 implied HN points • 07 Nov 21
  1. The law, especially in healthcare, is complex and can be difficult for the average person to navigate.
  2. HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) is a crucial regulation that shapes data sharing practices in healthcare.
  3. HIPAA consists of different rules like the Privacy Rule and Security Rule, which aim to facilitate data sharing among healthcare entities while ensuring privacy and security.

A Song of Health and FHIR

275 implied HN points • 23 Jun 21
  1. FHIR is a popular standard in healthcare with distinct advantages over legacy systems.
  2. Understanding the complexity and nuances of healthcare integration is crucial for success in the industry.
  3. Success in digital health requires knowing your identity, the problems you solve, and how to integrate effectively.

Indiana Jones and the Personal Health Record

275 implied HN points • 18 Mar 21
  1. The concept of Personal Health Records is like a holy grail in healthcare, offering patients control of their health data.
  2. Successful health products focus on either serving the majority of patients' needs or offering a premium experience for specific niches.
  3. Healthcare is evolving towards embedded health, integrating health data seamlessly into consumer touchpoints for convenience.

A Tale of Rails and Ramps

275 implied HN points • 02 Feb 21
  1. Healthcare has a rails problem - payment infrastructures need to be improved and modernized.
  2. On-ramp companies simplify access to legacy networks in various industries, like banking and healthcare.
  3. Building networks and on-ramps in healthcare lags behind fintech, but there is potential for growth and innovation.

Mr. Health API Guy Goes to Washington

98 implied HN points • 05 Apr 22
  1. Mr. Health API Guy participated in formal comments on electronic prior authorization standards in response to a Request for Information from the ONC.
  2. Proven technologies, open standards, and re-use of foundational capabilities are important for successful adoption of electronic prior authorization infrastructure.
  3. Physician access to payer APIs, use of SMART on FHIR apps, and transparency for patients are key components for improving the electronic prior authorization process.

Chasms and Fires

196 implied HN points • 21 May 21
  1. Standards in healthcare are like products that need adoption to succeed.
  2. Incumbent technologies are hard to disrupt due to economies of scale, network effects, and switching costs.
  3. Regulators can help drive adoption of new standards by mandating widespread change and creating whitespace for new technologies.

The Gang Explains Cures

117 implied HN points • 21 Dec 21
  1. Understanding HIPAA, MU, and information blocking provisions is crucial for navigating regulatory perils in the healthcare industry.
  2. The ONC Cures Rule and CMS Patient Access Rule have standardized and expanded patient data access, creating a richer ecosystem for patient authorized exchange.
  3. The Cures Act introduced new EHR capabilities for Business Associates through population API bulk APIs and standardized patient-level APIs, though challenges remain in convincing healthcare organizations to adopt these advancements.

The Gang Explains Information Blocking: Meaningful Use Era

98 implied HN points • 16 Nov 21
  1. During the Meaningful Use era, there was a focus on accelerating the adoption of electronic health records through incentives and penalties.
  2. The exchange of data between Covered Entities was a complex journey during Meaningful Use.
  3. Patient access to their data was advanced through Meaningful Use requirements, but hindered by API format disparities and HCO-centric app activation.

YCombinator W21 Batch Health Breakdown⚕️🏥

137 implied HN points • 14 Apr 21
  1. The analysis focused on emerging healthcare companies from the YCombinator W21 Batch.
  2. Notable companies included those offering DNA machines, antibody drug development, and bioengineered kidneys.
  3. Trends observed were a lot of duplication in India and LATAM markets and a strong presence of virtual care and digital health providers.

Time Capsule: Healthcare Standards

137 implied HN points • 06 Apr 21
  1. Standards in healthcare technology evolve and iterate over time.
  2. Health tech standards play a crucial role in data exchange and interoperability.
  3. FHIR stands out as a robust standard in health tech with advanced features.

What if Digital Health and Fintech had a baby?

78 implied HN points • 02 Dec 21
  1. Fintech and healthcare are different but share common infrastructure challenges.
  2. Neobanks and virtual-first care providers focus on specialization and personalized services.
  3. Big tech companies like Amazon and Google are entering healthcare and financial services, leveraging their core competencies.

APIs and the App Ecosystem

117 implied HN points • 14 Jul 20
  1. Healthcare tech is evolving slowly, focusing on data integration, analytics, and visualization.
  2. Standards in healthcare data exchange, although useful, can be complex and slow innovation.
  3. App ecosystems with APIs offer a new way for healthcare vendors to innovate and integrate quickly, fostering development and deployment of new technologies.

Trust in healthcare integration

98 implied HN points • 14 Jul 20
  1. Integration and interoperability are crucial in the healthcare space, with companies revolving around EHR data hubs.
  2. Healthcare has three main trust paradigms for data exchange, each with benefits and drawbacks.
  3. Consider a combination of trust paradigms to differentiate your digital health application and adapt to healthcare needs.

The Gang Explains Information Blocking: Part III

39 implied HN points • 29 Nov 21
  1. The 21st Century Cures Act led to regulations like ONC Cures Final Rule and CMS Interoperability Rules.
  2. Information blocking broadly involves hindering access to health information and applies to providers, developers, and exchanges.
  3. Exceptions to information blocking, like Content and Manner Exception, offer flexibility but don't solve all interoperability challenges.

A Brief & Opinionated History of Healthcare Standards

78 implied HN points • 14 Jul 20
  1. Healthcare information technology standards have a messy history with complex acronyms and challenges with interoperability.
  2. The 1980s saw the rise of X12 standards, EDIFACT, and the foundation of HL7 with the first meeting for HL7v1.
  3. The 2000s brought shifts to XML, REST, and JSON, with HL7's struggles with HL7v3 but a rebound with C-CDA adoption.

Hubs, crypto, pharmacies, and Staind

39 implied HN points • 20 Aug 21
  1. Staind's influence on the phrase 'It's been a while' is everlasting.
  2. Consider the potential of a single HIE as a solution for data access.
  3. Explore the intersection of blockchain technology and healthcare, especially in the realm of e-prescribing and pharmacies.

Gearing up for Immunizations

58 implied HN points • 04 Dec 20
  1. The COVID-19 vaccine rollout faces challenges in production, distribution, and administration at a large scale.
  2. Immunization registries are crucial for tracking vaccine distribution and progress at both individual and population levels.
  3. State-based registries need to be better integrated for a national solution to ensure widespread access to vaccination history while maintaining privacy.

Pondering the Health Policy Orb

19 implied HN points • 12 Jan 22
  1. Regulatory measures in healthcare are becoming a reality with set deadlines for 2022.
  2. The ONC Cures Rule is bringing new EHR capabilities like FHIR APIs and standardized patient-level APIs.
  3. The year 2022 is significant for the Trusted Exchange Framework to be utilized in the healthcare industry.

Connecting the dots on connecting the systems

0 implied HN points • 13 Jul 20
  1. The post is about connecting healthcare systems
  2. The author is Brendan Keeler, Head of Product at Flexpa
  3. Integration and interoperability are key topics in the content

Integration is Language for Robots

0 implied HN points • 14 Jul 20
  1. Data formats are like languages for systems to communicate.
  2. Communication methods are the ways systems convey information.
  3. Authentication methods protect data and ensure trust in exchanges.