CommonWell Health Alliance is thrilled to announce today that we are launching our interoperability services in early 2014 at select provider locations in the following geographies:  Chicago, Illinois; Elkin and Henderson, North Carolina; and Columbia, South Carolina.

Just 9 months and 1 week ago, we announced CommonWell at HIMSS13, and today, we are proud to share that we are making a huge leap in bringing our cross-supplier data liquidity services to market. As a health IT supplier-led effort, we have the vision that patient data should be available to the patient and their health care providers regardless of where the care occurs or what health IT system the provider uses.

Representing a variety of different settings, participating customers of the alliance members who have signed up for the initial launch share a similar vision to put the patient at the center of their health care. The members, the service provider, and the participating customers will be validating our approach to connect the selected providers across the health care continuum to achieve the goal of the successful exchange of patient data across multiple setting types of patient care.

We look forward to working with these customers over the coming months as well as bringing on additional geographies and customers to our CommonWell service.

As the interoperability obstacle is overcome, the result of an efficient, more seamless flow of health data between points of care will be a critical component towards the goal of improving the quality of care, enhancing the patient experience, and ensuring a higher level of patient safety.  We eagerly await the progress we know is to come and look forward to sharing more at HIMSS14.