Health Technology Ecosystem – Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services | CMS (.gov)

Report on the CMS Digital Health Ecosystem Initiative and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched the Digital Health Ecosystem initiative, a strategic framework designed to modernize the United States healthcare system. Moving beyond a purely regulatory approach, this initiative promotes voluntary collaboration among public and private sector stakeholders. The primary objective is to create a connected, data-driven healthcare experience that aligns with key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning health, innovation, and partnerships.

Strategic Objectives

The initiative is built upon a vision of collaboration to achieve specific outcomes that regulation alone has not delivered. The core objectives are:

• Empowerment of Individuals: To provide patients with greater control and access to their health data, fostering a more engaged role in their own care.
• Enhancement of Care Quality: To improve health outcomes by facilitating a seamless flow of information between providers, technologies, and patients.
• Acceleration of Progress: To create an environment that stimulates innovation in healthcare technology and service delivery.

Framework for Collaboration and Implementation

The success of the Digital Health Ecosystem is contingent on a multi-stakeholder partnership rather than a regulatory mandate. This approach constitutes a call for voluntary alignment around a shared data and access framework.

Key Stakeholders

• Data networks
• Electronic Health Record (EHR) system vendors
• Health application developers
• Healthcare providers
• Technology innovators

CMS Commitments

CMS will support this ecosystem by developing and launching key public infrastructure components, including:

1. The National Provider Directory
2. Modernized identity and access management on Medicare.gov
3. Expanded data-sharing capabilities

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Digital Health Ecosystem initiative directly contributes to the advancement of several SDGs by integrating principles of health equity, innovation, and cooperation into its design.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: By empowering patients and creating a more connected care experience, the initiative aims to improve health outcomes and promote well-being, directly supporting the targets of SDG 3.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The focus on building public digital infrastructure (e.g., the National Provider Directory) and fostering an ecosystem for health technology developers promotes resilient infrastructure and fosters innovation within the healthcare industry.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The initiative is fundamentally a multi-stakeholder partnership, calling for collaboration between government (CMS) and the private sector. This model exemplifies the cooperative approach required to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Legal Compliance

It is affirmed that no component of this initiative is intended to contravene, supersede, or preempt existing federal or state healthcare or privacy laws. This includes, but is not limited to, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Rules, and the Privacy Act of 1974.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the CMS Digital Health Ecosystem connects to several Sustainable Development Goals by focusing on improving healthcare through technology, infrastructure, and collaboration.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This is the most direct and central SDG related to the article. The entire initiative is aimed at modernizing the healthcare system to “empower people, improve care, and accelerate progress.” The goal is to create a “modern, connected experience” for healthcare, which directly contributes to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  The article explicitly discusses the creation of new infrastructure and fostering innovation. The “CMS Digital Health Ecosystem” is described as a form of digital infrastructure. The text mentions CMS’s role in “launching key public infrastructure like the National Provider Directory” and calls on the healthcare industry and innovators to develop new solutions. This aligns with building resilient infrastructure and fostering innovation.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article strongly emphasizes a collaborative approach. It states that the new vision is “built on collaboration, not just compliance” and is a “call to action” for the private sector. It calls upon “data networks, Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, health app developers, providers, and innovators” to work together with the public sector (CMS). This represents a multi-stakeholder, public-private partnership, which is the core of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s focus, several specific targets can be identified.

1. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services… The initiative aims to improve the healthcare experience and access to care through a “shared framework for data and access.” The creation of a “National Provider Directory” and “modern identity on Medicare.gov” are concrete steps toward improving access to health-care services.

2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure…to support…human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all. The article describes the development of a “Digital Health Ecosystem” and “key public infrastructure,” which is a direct effort to build a new, reliable digital infrastructure to support human well-being (health).
   • Target 9.c: Significantly increase access to information and communications technology… The project’s goal to “bring healthcare into the modern era” by leveraging “healthcare technology,” “EHR systems,” and “health app developers” directly supports the objective of increasing access to and use of information and communications technology within the healthcare sector.

3. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships… The article is a clear example of this target in action. It is framed as a “movement, not a mandate” and a “call to action” for the “private sector stepping up” to collaborate with a public entity (CMS). This voluntary, multi-stakeholder approach is the essence of a public-private partnership.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

While the article does not list formal SDG indicators, it implies several metrics that can be used to measure the progress and success of the initiative.

• Indicators for SDG 3 Targets

  • Implied Indicator for Target 3.8: The successful launch and public utilization of the “National Provider Directory” and the number of users enabled with “modern identity on Medicare.gov.” These would serve as proxy indicators for improved access to healthcare information and services.

• Indicators for SDG 9 Targets

  • Implied Indicator for Target 9.1: The operational status of the “CMS Digital Health Ecosystem” and its key components. The article mentions a deadline, asking the private sector to deliver “real results – live – before the end of the year,” which provides a clear timeline for measuring the development of this infrastructure.
  • Implied Indicator for Target 9.c: The number of “EHR systems” and “health app developers” that voluntarily align with the shared framework. This would measure the increased adoption of connected information and communication technologies in the healthcare industry.

• Indicators for SDG 17 Targets

  • Implied Indicator for Target 17.17: The number of private sector entities (data networks, EHR systems, developers, innovators) that respond to the “call to action” and join the collaborative effort. The success of this “movement” is explicitly dependent on “the private sector stepping up,” making partner participation a key metric.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

Source: cms.gov