One of the problems emerging technology companies face when entering the technology sector is data sharing, an issue Blue Shield of California CEO Paul Markovich wants to solve, according to CNBC.
As patients continue to realize they are unable to share their clinician data from EMRs with other physicians, big technology companies are becoming highly motivated to work with the medical industry to fix the problem, Mr. Markovich said.
If companies can't access large-scale data, they are unable to use artificial intelligence or other tools to build larger systems. Interoperability is necessary for technology systems to scale, the CEO told CNBC in an interview.
Mr. Markovich believes that with interoperability healthcare costs will shrink.
"We need to stop pricing it as a luxury good, when healthcare is a necessity," he said.
Apple is working on bringing more interoperability into the healthcare sector with its Health Records application. The app allows iPhone users to access medical information if their provider participates in the program. Despite its efforts to improve data sharing, it could be another 10 years before Apple has data from every hospital, clinic and health plan, Mr. Markovich said.
At Blue Shield of California, Mr. Markovich is launching pilot programs to test payment models that bring added transparency to healthcare costs. The insurer is also testing tools that make it easier for physicians to annotate medical records.
Overall, Mr. Markovich remains positive that health systems will take steps toward health data interoperability in the next few years.