3 Reasons Interoperability Prices Will Skyrocket In 2014

Editor’s note: Claiming a need to steer clear of strong political winds in the home state of New York — nope, that’s not a joke — a well-placed executive anonymously contributed this opinion piece to Government Health IT. Knowing this individual and the organization he or she represents and the credibility of both, we’ll allow it. But it is a prediction, so we also ask readers to take it as such.

I live and work in the State of New York. As many probably know, New York has a vision of a statewide network. Over the years this vision has changed from one of just policy and oversight to being a free state funded and operated network. I have also heard managers of other state-designated entities for health information exchange (HIE) speak of similar ideals so this isn't just about New York but about government funded solutions and how they drive up costs. In this case, I am referring to provider interoperability costs.

How can this be? I believe it will increase interoperability costs in the following ways:

1. Healthcare Information Technology (HIT) vendors will increase prices to absorb consumer (provider) surplus created by the elimination of RHIO/HIE costs on the providers and health plans. [...]