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personal health information network

Walled Gardens vs. the Open Web: A Central Debate in Tech Finally Coming to Healthcare

The September issue of Wired magazine and an article in last Sunday’s New York Times illustrate a central debate in technology circles. The debate is not new — it’s being going on for two decades — but it has newfound vibrancy. The essence of the debate is about competing tech/business models: walled gardens vs. the open world wide web (web).

 

vs.

 

The debate is highly controversial and nuanced. There are “experts” on both sides.

My point today is not to take sides […]

Picturing the PHIN as One Interoperable Network

Will the Microsoft HealthVault, Google Health, and Dossia personal health information (PHI) platforms be able to exchange data?  In our introductory essay announcing the Birth of the Personal Health Information Network (PHIN), Dr. David Kibbe and I posed a critical question:

What will the PHIN look like?  Will there be multiple, non-interoperable, competing networks or just one interoperable network?

This question is being answered with the best possible answer:  the PHIN is evolving as one, interoperable network.

Consider 3 scenarios:

 

Scenario One: Status Quo — […]

Heartburn Relief: UnitedHealth Joining Google Health and MSFT HealthVault?

From the August 6 edition of HISTalk — Healthcare IT News and Opinion:

"Re: UHG. Was at the Healthcare Quality Conference yesterday in Boston. Got to talking to a United Health exec who informed me that they have signed an agreement with Google Health and have a pending agreement with HealthVault. This backs up UHG’s previous statement that member records would be made portable. Individual made mention that the Google Health relationship extends beyond just claims records transfer and includes a […]

Cerner Disses Google Health. Surprised?

Vince Kuraitis and David C. Kibbe, MD, MBA

We’re not.

From the Kansas City Business Journal :

Google Inc. has approached Cerner Corp. about a partnership, but Cerner officials don’t sound eager to entangle themselves with the Web-search Goliath.

That’s because […]

Perspectives on the Upcoming 5th Annual Healthcare Unbound Conference

 The Healthcare Unbound Conference is a highlight of my year and I always look forward to it!

What’s so special about this conference?

First, the caliber of the people attending.  It’s a stimulating mix of high-level clinical, technical and business types.  The energy is flowing and many people have told me how much they like to go just for the networking.

Second, the caliber of the conference organizer.  I’ve worked with many conference planners, and Satish Kavirajan is not your ordinary conference organizer.

Satish […]

NEJM and NYT Discuss “Tectonic Shifts” of a Personal Health Information Economy

Vince Kuraitis and David C. Kibbe, MD MBA

Tomorrow’s edition of the New England Journal of Medicine contains an article entitled “Tectonic Shifts in the Health Information Economy”.  While we have not yet fully digested this article, it’s clear that the authors’ description of the “Health Information Economy” closely parallels our initial description of the Personal Health Information Network (PHIN).

The main thrust of the NEJM article is to discuss implications (good and bad) relating to clinical research. The NEJM article is also highlighted in a New York Times piece […]

Healthcare Informatics Webinar: Google, Microsoft, & Dossia Create the Personal Health Information Network

What are companies like Google, Microsoft, and Dossia (sponsored by Intel, Wal-Mart, AT&T and others) hoping to accomplish in health care?
What is the emerging Personal Health Information Network (PHIN) and why should you care?
What’s the Continuity of Care Record (CCR) Standard, and how is it destined to become an initial focal point of data exchange initiatives?
Why is the PHIN potentially disruptive to many business models? What types of companies or organizations could be affected the most?
What are opportunities and threats to major health care players — hospitals, […]

Feds Call on Google and Microsoft to Breathe Life into the NHIN

Vince Kuraitis and David C. Kibbe, MD MBA

Who is the federal  government calling on to breathe life into the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN)? Google and Microsoft.

In our first article of this series describing the Personal Health Information Network (PHIN), we noted early entrants as Google Health, Microsoft HealthVault, and Dossia.  We also noted that the network could grow rapidly, and that others would want to join or link to the PHIN.

With Uncle Sam announcing plans to link to the PHIN, […]

Birth Announcement: the Personal Health Information Network (PHIN)

Vince Kuraitis and David C. Kibbe, MD MBA 

The Internet and digital technologies have transformed many aspects of our lives over the past twenty years.  We can get cash at ATMs all over the world; we can book our own airline reservations; we can shop and get best prices over the Internet.

Why hasn’t this happened in health care?  Something is missing.

Recently, major global information and communication companies have announced their intention to bring their technologies and business models to health care.  […]