In 2021, we’ll see an effort to systematize the use of SDOH data and measure its effectiveness. While the majority of providers have shown interest in enhancing clinical data with SDOH data, investment to operationalize strategies simply has not yet materialized. Rather, this year, the industry experienced a gradual adoption of SDOH data with a select few champions acting on this vision rather than organizations establishing a foundation of appropriate training and IT support. Kudos to those who went above and beyond to work with the data and actively implement it into workflows, but healthcare requires a more sustainable model based on actual support.
With COVID-19 highlighting the adverse effects of various disparities on health outcomes, including socio-economic factors and access to care, organizations will finally invest in technology infrastructure and training to systematize the use of SDOH. Following that, the same tools will enable organizations to measure the effectiveness of specific interventions, a key component of an outcomes-driven strategy. This promise—and the demand for value-based care—will only fuel greater demand for SDOH data integration in 2021.
Balancing privacy and security As we introduce new types of data and manage an increase in data access points on various devices and systems, privacy and security will be front and center in healthcare next year. The CMS Interoperability and Patient Access rule will further drive the need to share patient data and increase consumer appetite for owning and moving it. This year already brought a heightened awareness among patients regarding privacy of their data, as well as numerous cybersecurity breaches. Cybersecurity threats are on the rise, and will continue to grow in 2021.
While I want to be optimistic about healthcare’s ability to balance privacy and security, I don’t see the industry arriving at a tenable solution in the next 12 months. The existing patchwork of federal regulations, combined with emerging state-level efforts, will create an even more confusing regulatory environment that doesn’t jive with existing efforts. I also predict a high likelihood of an adverse event where a patient’s data is accessed or shared inappropriately. Should that happen, the issue of a national patient identifier (NPI) will be back on the docket in Congress, but conflicting interests will make it unlikely for real progress to materialize. The new administration will bring an increased activity and a new focus to these issues, particularly interoperability and access, but security weaknesses will prevail.
