Spark action now: A nationwide push towards healthcare modernization

The federal government is making significant strides in modernizing healthcare, focusing on digitizing the system but recognizing that this alone is not enough. The ultimate goal is to create tools that empower patients to manage their care with the same ease and confidence they experience with daily-life apps.

Under the leadership of Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare & Medicares Services (CMS) is building the foundational infrastructure needed for the private sector to innovate. This includes the creation of a national provider directory, enabling systems to talk to each other in real time and providing connected care for patients.

The lack of a single, trusted source of up-to-date information about providers results in more than $2.7 billion in wasted administrative effort each year. To address this issue, the initiative encourages the development of AI assistants that know a patient's care plan and help manage risks, flare-ups, medications, and appointments.

An example of the envisioned tools is scanning a QR code at a doctor's office to share health history, similar to scanning a boarding pass before a flight. It is important to note that individuals remain in control of their data, deciding when, how, and with whom it is shared.

The private sector, including clinicians, developers, caregivers, and startups, is being asked to develop tools and make commitments to secure data-sharing networks. More than 60 companies have joined the CMS initiative, including tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Microsoft, as well as healthcare providers like Aetna/CVS Health, Cleveland Clinic, UnitedHealth Group, Humana, Sanford Health, and Zocdoc.

The federal government is also focusing on the security and privacy of the shared data. This initiative does not involve a federal database of patient health information, but a network of providers with built-in privacy, consent, and transparency.

A gathering of leaders from healthcare and technology took place at the White House with the aim of fixing what's broken in health tech and building what works. The speaker's daughter, Morgan, who has a rare disease and sees 12 doctors, serves as a powerful reminder of the current system's shortcomings. Morgan's smartwatch encourages movement but does not account for her debilitating condition or provide personalized, intuitive feedback.

The aim is to provide informed responses to worries 24/7, regardless of location. The public is invited to join the movement at http://cms.gov/health-tech-ecosystem. Together, we can create a healthcare system that is as intuitive and helpful as the apps we use in our daily lives.