Who’s Who?: Medical ID push

Great news bubbling up from the House of Representatives In the world of interoperability!

https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/house-votes-to-overturn-decades-old-ban-on-national-patient-identifier/556859/

As anyone who has ever exchanged data across different databases knows... matching patients is of great concern. A nation-wide ID would add a wonderful anchor piece of data that would allow exchanges to occur far more rapidly and accurately without as many human interventions to ensure proper linkages.

That said, there are still many steps to becoming a law, and then being implemented. Curiously, the amendment is tucked into the agency specific (HHS) appropriations bill, which does generally make stripping it out harder. Especially given Congress‘s habit of rushing to bundle omnibus spending bills before shutdowns loom!

Regardless of the outcomes, still exciting to see this long standing issue get some attention at the level of government that can push this for patients nation-wide.