WEDI, the nation’s leading nonprofit authority on the use of health IT to create efficiencies in healthcare information exchange and a trusted advisor to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), today announced its 2019 Summer Forum “Bridging EDI to API: Working for Today, Preparing for Tomorrow.” The two-day summit will take place July 30-31 at the ADA Conference Center in Chicago and will bring together industry leaders to discuss how to address issues affecting the future of Health IT and interoperability.

“The rapidly changing healthcare climate continues to face many administrative challenges that, undoubtedly, call for a dialogue amongst stakeholders. At the WEDI Summer Forum, attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and offer thoughts on some of the most important issues in Health IT and interoperability,” said Charles W. Stellar, WEDI president and CEO. “I’m looking forward to joining colleagues from across provider, payer, vendor and government entities for this important discussion on the coexistence of EDI and API as we prepare for our industry’s future.”

Day one of the forum will kick-off with a keynote delivered by Steve Posnack, Executive Director, Office of Technology, at Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). Posnack will focus on the new technological mandates and explain the implications of the ONC NPRM regarding the specific technology that will be required to support the easy flow of patient info between provider, payers, members and other key stakeholders.

In addition to Posnack’s presentation, day one of the event will focus on critically important industry issues such aswhat industry professionals need to know about APIs and the difference between API technology and the use of traditional EDI capabilities; new capabilities payers and providers will have to implement for connectivity requirements; requirements regarding the use of USCDI data elements to use to extract claims and payment data; payer provider data exchange; and concluding with an open discussion on how new technology may impact current healthcare standards. 

Day two will focus on topics surrounding prior authorization and interoperability including the patient as an agent of interoperability; the state of prior authorization; payer initiatives using prior authorization and attachments; how 278 prior authorization transaction, attachments and FHIR can work together; prior authorization under value based care; consumer direct exchange; and a discussion on how payers and providers will adjust to consumer access to and ownership of their data. 

WEDI 2019 Summer Forum is open to all interested healthcare stakeholders across provider, payer, vendor and government entities. Both WEDI members and non-members can visit the WEDI 2019 Summer Forum page to register online and for information on discounted room rates.