Chuck Christian, VP of Technology and Engagement, IHIE, Chapter 3

In nearly every discussion about the state of health IT, the word ‘complex’ always seems to surface. But when it comes down to it, the ultimate goal is actually quite simple: to inform care though data. And to Chuck Christian, former CIO and current VP of technology and engagement with the Indiana HIE, that means presenting clinicians with the data they need — both inside and outside the EHR — in a matter of seconds.

In this interview, Christian offers his usual candid take on where the industry stands in terms of interoperability, and how HIE is working toward that goal by focusing on EHR integration, interstate and intrastate data exchange, and population health initiatives. He also gives his thoughts on the opioid epidemic, data blocking, and how CMS could be changing the game.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3



* Smartphone capabilities – “Why can’t we do the same thing?”

* Potential of using Alexa in the ED

* “Technology has to be obtrusive at first”

* MyHealthEData & Blue Button

* His “misgivings” about patient data access

* VA’s challenges – “It will actually take an Act of Congress”

* Data blocking: “I don’t know of anyone who’s doing it on purpose.”



LISTEN NOW USING THE PLAYER BELOW OR CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR iTUNES PODCAST FEED

Bold Statements

Everything I need is in my phone. It’s a piece of technology, but I don’t think about it. It just works, and that’s the same thing we need to be able to do with our data systems and how we connect those.

I have some misgivings about patients sharing their data, because I’m not sure they truly understand what they’re sharing and what can occur with it afterwards.

That tells me that they’re taking this seriously and they’re having some good conversations, both within and outside the government, about what this should look like. Because I think what worries everybody is that this has the full weight of OCR and OIG behind it. There could be some serious rules made about data blocking.

We’re curators of the data. We don’t own it. We don’t decide who gets access to it. It’s done through a defined a governance structure that’s been in place for 15-plus years and works really well.

Gamble:  You made the point earlier about having technology fade into the background. It’s not an easy thing to do obviously, but it speaks to your point about making sure it’s all about the patient and that interaction, and that it’s not centered on the technology.

Christian:  That’s exactly what we need to do. When’s the last time you walked into a room and flicked the light switch, and thought about how it happens and who creates the electricity to fuel that light?

The other thing that’s amazing to me is I have an iPhone, and if you think about the number of devices and the amount of equipment that’s in that phone, it’s amazing. I remember the camcorder. I remember the iPod and all that, and all of that — everything I need — is in my phone. It’s a piece of technology, but I don’t think about it. It just works, and that’s the same thing we need to be able to do with our data systems and how we connect those. When I walk into my house in the evening, I tell Alexa to turn the lights on. I can also tell Alexa to set the temperature in my house. Why can’t we do the same thing around our healthcare data? We can, we just need to have really smart folks who can be thoughtful about it and decide what’s appropriate. Alexa’s listening all the time — so is Google and some of the other ones that are coming out.