Farzad Mostashari Tweets #HDPalooza

Health data geeks from across the US have descended on Washington DC this week for what’s called Health Datapalooza. It’s a sort of Mecca for healthcare data sharing where health data geeks virtually hold hands and sing koombaya as they circle around blue buttons and hard drives full of granular health data. As someone who believes that health data liberacion is the right direction for healthcare, this is a great event and this year it seems to have really hit its stride.

One of the biggest advocates of using healthcare data for good is ONC’s own Farzad Mostashari. Never someone afraid to tweet or Retweet health data related topics, Farzad’s twitter account has been incredibly active during Health Datapalooza. So, I thought I’d use it to illustrate some of the messages Farzad found important enough to share from the event. Plus, I’ll throw in my commentary after each tweet as appropriate. (Note: when the tweet is from someone else it’s because Farzad retweeted it.)


If you want to stop reading here you could, because it’s the core of Farzad’s message. Although, if you want to go into depth on the topic, keep reading. At least Farzad has made clear that he’s going to use whatever methods he has available to make patients’ health data available.


I’ve said this a few times recently as well. I have an extreme belief in the creativity and drive of entrepreneurs. We just need more of them to be able to do their work in healthcare.


Amen! The challenge is getting this message to consumers. If you tell them that their data will be kept private, but will be shared where appropriate to provide better care, every patient wants this to happen. In fact, most already assume this is what’s happening.


Healthcare problems are still a HUGE challenge. We don’t need any more barriers than we already have to overcome.


I wish the $36 billion in EHR incentive money would have been spent on standardization. We’d have had better results. I’m still not sure how we’re going to get to future payment models. Govt could play a role in it.


Speaking of changing payment models. Seems like government doesn’t know how to get their either. A fundamental delivery system transformation could be translated as impossible.


The ladies will love Farzad in his bowtie. I love people who aren’t afraid of trying what seems impossible. Who in health IT is doing that today? I guess looking at the last tweet CMS and ONC are trying.


I’m not sure if we should be proud or sad at the 8% number. Granted, it’s a lot of people that have to learn about it. Although, since many don’t care about their health data, 8% is pretty good.


I’ll be interested to see this number post-meaningful use stage 2. Doctors will be really encouraging their patients to get their health data so they can meet MU stage 2.


This isn’t actually from Health Datapalooza, but Farzad did just retweet it. I haven’t dug into Obama’s plan to deal with patent trolls, but I’m really glad more of a spotlight is being put on this challenging problem. In the case of software, I’m really against patents because as the tweet says they do stifle innovation. It’s ironic because they’re suppose to encourage innovation, but it’s just not the reality of how they’re being used.

About the author

John Lynn

John Lynn is the Founder of HealthcareScene.com, a network of leading Healthcare IT resources. The flagship blog, Healthcare IT Today, contains over 13,000 articles with over half of the articles written by John. These EMR and Healthcare IT related articles have been viewed over 20 million times.

John manages Healthcare IT Central, the leading career Health IT job board. He also organizes the first of its kind conference and community focused on healthcare marketing, Healthcare and IT Marketing Conference, and a healthcare IT conference, EXPO.health, focused on practical healthcare IT innovation. John is an advisor to multiple healthcare IT companies. John is highly involved in social media, and in addition to his blogs can be found on Twitter: @techguy.

1 Comment

  • I agree with the “don’t bet against American entrepreneurs” statement, but there isn’t much out there that stymies the spirit like government interference.

    The fake demand for EHRs was created by the Gov incentives.

    If EHRs truly…TRULY improved efficiency…TRULY had an ROI, docs would have been running to them on their own long ago.

    That access to health data online number is misleading. What access is this? Scheduling? A “marketing” message in the portal?

    Stage 2 will greatly increase these numbers because it requires an increase, yet the system will be “gamed” as it is now.

    There is no doubt there are plenty of people who will access their records online…I would.

    But there is a HUGE number of people who don’t/can’t/won’t…for whatever reason.

    Certain specialties and rural areas have horrid access numbers, and these docs will have to be creative in getting folks onto their portal so the docs can make their Stage 2 goals.

    I’m not poo-pooing here, just a splash of reality.

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