Driving Innovation in Health Systems through an Apps-Based Information Economy

Kenneth D. Mandl

Joshua C. Mandel

Isaac S. Kohane

Publication stage: In Press Corrected Proof

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cels.2015.05.001

Article Info

Main Text

Six years into the US government’s plan to spend $48 billion dollars on information technology for healthcare (health IT), electronic health records (EHRs) are about to be widely connected to modern-day software applications (apps) running on the web, local intranets, or mobile devices. These apps will give new life to data entered into EHRs and other health IT platforms by providing the ability to visualize risks, trends, and trajectories; mash up clinical records with external data sources; and deliver decision support to clinicians and patients during and between encounters. Apps will also create new flows of data from sensors, devices, and patient reports into EHRs. This tectonic shift toward 21st century IT, which mirrors changes sweeping across other industries, will change the experience of physicians and patients, dramatically increasing return on EHR investments. These shifts are occurring world-wide, with the first effects likely to be seen in the U.S. where the meaningful use program for certification of health IT (Blumenthal, 2009) drove substantial adoption of EHRs (Wright et al., 2013).