Dive Brief:
- CommonWell Health Alliance has appointed Jitin Asnaani, a former federal health information technology policymaker and health IT industry executive, as its new executive director.
- The not-for-profit alliance was formed in 2013 to promote electronic health record system interoperability.
- In April, the Alliance will be rolling out its new interoperability platform called Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) at the upcoming Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society convention in Chicago.
Dive Insight:
According to Asnaani, more than 20 providers in six states—Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington—are using CommonWell's proprietary information exchange services. The network serves customers of Athenahealth, Cerner, CPSI and Greenway.
"In my mind, FHIR is the sleek new interface, like a sleek new phone," Asnaani, told Modern Healthcare. But a new phone needs a network to function. "That's what CommonWell is providing, the network for FHIR messaging for a variety of use cases."