An open letter on California’s health information exchange ecosystem from LANES CEO, Ali Modaressi
On June 4, HCAI released the draft agenda for the upcoming June 18 Data Exchange Framework (DxF) Advisory Committee meeting. One of the most important topics on the agenda is the future role of Qualified Health Information Organizations (QHIOs).
Two years into the QHIO program, stakeholders have gained valuable experience and insights into both the opportunities and challenges of statewide interoperability. This conversation is timely and will help shape the future of California’s health information exchange ecosystem. I commend the HCAI team for recognizing these challenges and prioritizing discussions on how the program should evolve.
As HCAI and the DxF Advisory Committee consider the future of California’s data-sharing infrastructure, it is important to remember that interoperability was never the destination—it was the foundation.
California has made tremendous progress in connecting healthcare organizations and enabling the secure exchange of information. QHIOs have been central to that success, providing the infrastructure that transforms policy into operational reality and enabling much of the data exchange occurring across the state today.
But the future of healthcare is not about moving more data. The next frontier is transforming information into coordinated action—where data seamlessly triggers workflows, connects organizations, reduces administrative burden, and enables timely interventions that improve outcomes while containing costs.
The greatest opportunity ahead is leveraging regional QHIO infrastructure and modern technologies to automate workflows, streamline care delivery, and support proactive care coordination across organizations.
Regional QHIOs are uniquely positioned to make this vision a reality. They were established to address local healthcare needs through trusted relationships, community collaboration, and a deep understanding of regional delivery systems. Their proximity to providers, health plans, county agencies, behavioral health organizations, and community partners enables them to identify challenges, develop practical solutions, and drive adoption in ways that create meaningful value for the communities they serve.
Through the California HIE Association (CAHIE), QHIOs are collaborating to develop advanced FHIR-based standards for secure, efficient, and targeted data exchange across California. Combined with standardized QHIO-to-QHIO connectivity, these efforts can achieve statewide interoperability while preserving the local responsiveness and accountability that have made regional QHIOs successful.
Working in partnership with HCAI and the DxF Advisory Committee, CAHIE can help define practical exchange standards and implementation frameworks that simplify EHR integration, improve consistency, and increase value for providers, health plans, public agencies, and patients.
The future is not simply access to information. The future is coordinated action. For the first time, modern workflow platforms, interoperable APIs, and real-time event notifications make it possible to automate coordination across organizations, transforming data into timely intervention, streamlined care delivery, better outcomes, and lower costs.
CAHIE looks forward to working with HCAI, the DxF Advisory Committee, and stakeholders across California to build the next generation of healthcare infrastructure, one that not only connects information, but enables action.
By strengthening regional QHIOs, advancing common standards, and leveraging modern technologies, California has an opportunity to move beyond interoperability and create a more connected, efficient, and patient-centered healthcare system for all Californians.
With gratitude,
Ali Modaressi