New model defines capabilities of Health Data Utility orgs

The Consortium for State and Regional Interoperability, or CSRI, a group of nonprofit health data networks, has released its new Health Data Utility Capability Model.

The model offers a method for describing and standardizing what a Health Data Utility (HDU) can deliver. An HDU is a nonprofit organization that aims to meet a state's health data delivery and analytics needs across private and public sectors.

CSRI notes that HDUs are usually designated or recognized by the state. They maintain and enhance curated data assets, integrate inputs from multiple sectors and provide technical services such as master patient indexing, data normalization and real-time event notifications. An HDU "operates within a minimally regulated framework but is held accountable to transparent governance processes," CSRI stated.

The new model defines HDU capabilities in accordance with the unique needs of various healthcare stakeholders, including providers, public health agencies, payers, researchers and patients. It builds on CSRI's HDU Maturity Model, launched in 2023, which provided a three-tiered framework to clarify and apply the HDU concept.

The new capability model offers over 160 capabilities to help stakeholders understand how an HDU can support them.

It maps HDUs across four tiers, from "emerging" to "aspirational," and includes a weighted scoring methodology, allowing stakeholders to compare HDUs.

"HDU stakeholders, including patients, are all asking the same question: Can I rely on this organization to deliver the data and services I need? This model gives a consistent, evidence-based way to answer that question," said J. Marc Overhage, M.D., PH.D., incoming CEO of CSRI, president and CEO of the Indiana Health Information Exchange and director of Medical Informatics at the Regenstrief Institute, in the press release. "It doesn't just say whether an organization calls itself a health data utility -- it makes clear what it can actually do, at scale, for each stakeholder."

Overhage led the development of the HDU Capability Model for CSRI, which included input from stakeholders, HDUs, health information exchanges (HIEs) and Civitas Networks for Health, a national collaborative.

In addition to defining the capabilities of HDUs, the model also identifies areas where HIEs need to develop and invest to support broader health data exchange. In fact, some HIEs are shifting their model to that of an HDU, which HIE officials believe offers distinct advantages for public health.

The model's launch coincides with a growing momentum in efforts to enhance health data exchange.

For instance, the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), launched in 2023, has provided a significant boost to health data exchange nationwide. In its first year, TEFCA supported the exchange of 7.8 million documents. Major EHR providers have also joined the effort, connecting hospitals to TEFCA through their solutions.

Anuja Vaidya has covered the healthcare industry since 2012. She currently covers the virtual healthcare landscape, including telehealth, remote patient monitoring and digital therapeutics.