What You Should Know:
– The Sequoia Project, a leading advocate for health information technology (health IT) interoperability, announced the launch of a new Pharmacy Workgroup as part of its Interoperability Matters program.
– The strategic initiative aims to improve patient care by fostering collaboration between pharmacies and the broader healthcare ecosystem. Launching and growing the pharmacy community of practice is a monumental undertaking for The Sequoia Project, made possible through funding and collaboration with Surescripts.
Building a Community for Pharmacy Interoperability
The Pharmacy Workgroup will serve as a platform for collaboration, bringing together pharmacists, healthcare providers, and technology companies to identify practical solutions for pharmacy data exchange. This will help address current challenges that hinder a patient’s full medical picture from being readily available.
“Pharmacies are integral to the delivery of patient care and are vital partners to achieve nationwide health information sharing,” said Mariann Yeager, CEO of The Sequoia Project. “This community of practice will bring together stakeholders to identify practical solutions to shared challenges of data access and exchange.”
Addressing the Need for Integrated Care
The initiative underscores the growing need for efficient data exchange, particularly with the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions and the strain on primary care. Pharmacists, with their expertise, can play a more significant role in patient care when healthcare data is readily accessible.
Next Steps
The Pharmacy Workgroup will officially launch in January 2025, co-chaired by Marcus from Surescripts and Pooja Babbrah from Point-of-Care Partners. A steering committee is already laying the groundwork for the group’s activities, which will include identifying best practices and developing recommendations for improved pharmacy data exchange.
