This episode of Quality Matters features highlights from the NCQA Health Innovation Summit panel discussion on data interoperability, held on November 1st in Nashville. Moderated by Arcadia’s Aneesh Chopra, the panel explored how to make health data accessible and usable for improving patient care. Panelists (Laura McCrary of KONZA, Dr. Marc Overhage of Elevance Health and Abdul Shaikh of AWS) emphasize interoperability is critical for quality reporting, care coordination and closing care gaps. Emphasizing trust as the cornerstone of data exchange frameworks such as TEFCA, panelists outline the need for alignment between payers, providers and technology organizations to ensure better health outcomes.

The panel unpacks technical and operational challenges surrounding interoperability, such as integrating fragmented data sources and transforming raw reports into insight practitioners can use at the point of care. Panelists compare HIEs and QHINs to highways, illustrating how these systems enable cross-border data sharing. But delivering actionable information, rather than overwhelming clinicians with reports, remains a challenge. Solutions such as Bulk FHIR and cloud-based technologies are highlighted as promising ways to help data reach its best, highest use.

The discussion closes with an appeal for greater collaboration and participation in initiatives like the NCQA Bulk FHIR Quality Coalition to test modern quality measures. As Laura McCrary points out, the interoperability challenge isn’t just technological—it’s cultural and contractual. By aligning incentives and fostering trust between stakeholders, health care can evolve from fragmentation to seamless, person-centered care.

Key Quote:

"Bringing data together for a particular patient so we have a comprehensive view for clinical care, quality assessment, predictive modeling, whatever it might be–it’s still the golden ring that I'm trying to get to.

We have standards and that's great, and those continue to improve.

It's pretty amazing the volume of data and the number of people that we're able to access and share data between payers, providers, other participants in the healthcare ecosystem."

Marc Overhage, MD

Time Stamps:

(2:55) Data exchange is all about trust.

(4:38) QHINs are the superhighways of health data exchange. HIEs are the on- and off-ramp.

(5:25) QHINs were created to work around geographic limitations of HIEs.

(6:12) QHINs’ challenge is providing information in a way that practitioners can use.

(7:21 ) To understand where data exchange can go wrong, focus on the interfaces between steps.

(9:12) Data exchange agreements often require legal expertise as much as technical expertise.

(11:13) The industry faces a big binary choice about how to organize quality information.

(12:46) Bulk fire and cloud computing are a powerful combination.

(14:31) Join the Bulk FHIR Quality Coalition.

Links:

Bulk FHIR Quality Coalition

Quality Matters Ep: 07

Quality Matters Ep: 08

Connect with Aneesh Chopra

Connect with Laura McCrary

Connect with Marc Overhage

Connect with Abdul Shaikh

n this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds sits down with Tosan Boyo, President of Sutter Health East Bay Market, to discuss his inspiring journey from Nigerian immigrant to leading a major health care institution. Boyo shares how his early experiences as a patient in a safety-net hospital shaped his commitment to health equity and continue to shape his leadership. He reflects on key moments that drove his passion for providing equitable care and the responsibility health care leaders have in ensuring access for all.

Boyo highlights the importance of community engagement in health care workforce development, emphasizing the need for institutions to reflect the communities they serve.
He also highlights the crucial role of transparent data reporting in driving improvement and building trust. Boyo discusses the impact of partnerships and how collaboration sets a precedent for addressing inequities.

Tosan will participate in a panel discussion at NCQA's Health Innovation Summit, where he will discuss ongoing efforts and challenges in advancing equitable care. His insights offer a roadmap for ensuring that health care systems evolve to meet the needs of diverse communities.

Key Quote:

“Health equity gives us tools and to validate we are living up to the thesis that motivates us to come to work every morning.  Fundamentally, delivering high quality outcomes is always the number one priority with that thesis being a foundation, how are we ensuring every patient is achieving the high quality outcome? We verify that by Saying let's stratify your outcome metrics by race and ensure that race is not a factor that one population is not getting the same high quality outcome Let's do it by language and ensure that language is not a barrier to access and not a barrier to following the instructions that you get from a physician. Let's verify by zip code, to understand socioeconomic status. How are we ensuring that regardless of zip code, you are getting the best care? These are different ways we can verify we are living up to the priority to deliver high quality outcomes.”

-Tosan Boyo

Time Stamps:

(00:57) Tosan Boyo's Journey into Health Care

(02:58) Defining Health Equity and Its Importance

(09:59) Building Trust and Community Relationships

(15:25) The Future of Health Equity

(18:45) The 2024 NCQA Health Innovation Summit

Links:

Connect with Tosan Boyo

CMS Universal Foundation

Tosan Boyo at Quality Talks 2022

Institute of Medicine: Crossing the Quality Chasm

In this episode of Quality Matters, host Andy Reynolds previews the upcoming Women in Quality panel at NCQA’s Health Innovation Summit. He speaks with Vanessa Guzman, CEO of SmartRise Health and Ella Es Health, who will moderate the panel. Vanessa shares her insights on empowering women in quality by cultivating self-awareness, fostering connections and building a culture of quality. She also introduces two thoughtful panelists, Khanh Nguyen, CEO of Cozeva, and Lynn Todman, Vice President of Health Equity at Corewell Health, who bring unique perspectives on resilience, community impact and health equity.

The discussion emphasizes the importance of trust, community and personal reflection in leadership, with personal stories from each guest about navigating challenges and creating meaningful change. The episode concludes with practical advice for attendees of the Women in Quality event on November 1, encouraging self-reflection and a focus on personal growth.

Key Quote:

“The Women in Quality reception will focus on three segments.

The first one will focus on cultivating oneself, understanding your purpose, walking your journey. What does that look like? The second segment will be focused on connection and collaboration. How to build meaningful relationships; how to build a trusted network. And then the third will be focused on creating and expanding that culture of quality. What areas of your life and workforce meet your goals and objectives? How are you tracking and measuring those processes?

When you combine those, you're manifesting the goals that you have set.”

• Vanessa Guzman

Time Stamps:

(2:23) Co-creation at the 2024 Health Innovation Summit’s Women in Quality event

(5:18) Finding growth and impact as a quality professional

(9:14) Improving quality, building community

(11:55) Building trust

Links:

NCQA’s Health Innovation Summit

Connect with Vanessa Guzman

Connect with Khanh Nguyen

Connect with Lynn Todman