Big data holds great promise for healthcare, and through application program interface (APIs) healthcare insurance company Humana is creating better ways to use and share information, says Paul Friedman, director of IT at Humana.
Currently, the company is using data to "meet consumers where they already are" by using APIs though its partners, Friedman tells SiliconANGLE.
The payer is using tech from Apigee Corp. to track the interfaces it is using in its API initiative, which is still being developed, according to the article.
"We have a wealth of data in claims, biometrics and other clinical areas that we can make available in a de-identified bulk fashion for entrepreneurs in analytics," Friedman says.
Demand and participation will be the drivers behind use of open public application program interfaces in healthcare for sharing information between entities, former U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra predicts. However, he said, healthcare organizations must be more willing to make the initial jump onto the bandwagon.
The payer is also using APIs to give consumers access to their health records. Using APIs, consumers can see their information anywhere and decide which information they want to make available to others, according to the SiliconANGLE.
Humana's CEO, Bruce Broussard, previously said that as healthcare becomes increasingly consumer-based, engaging customers saves money and improves people's lifestyles.
Friedman adds that the company is extra careful about making sure it complies with all requirements under HIPAA to ensure safety and privacy of information.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration also embraces APIs. Through its OpenFDA program, the agency now offers an API to give developers and researchers access to data about recalls, FierceHealthIT previously reported.
To learn more:
- here's the SiliconANGLE article