Our most recent public informational call on April 30th was a milestone event, marking the first formal community address by our new Executive Director, Lee Barrett. With over 30 years of experience in health IT, accreditation, and interoperability—including his foundational work with WEDI, ASCX12N, and Electronic Health Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC)—Lee brings a wealth of expertise to Carequality as we navigate the next era of data exchange.
If you missed the live session, here are the key takeaways from Lee and the leadership team regarding our growth, new governance policies, and the roadmap ahead.
Real-World Impact: The Power of 1.5 Billion Monthly Records
We are thrilled to report that Carequality volumes are now exceeding 1.5 billion transactions per month, an achievement that represents far more than just numbers. Behind these transactions are real human stories, lives changed, and care improved through better data exchange.
Lee highlighted the recent CMS Health Tech Ecosystem Live event in Washington, D.C., where the industry showcased how this data is actually being used to change lives.
- The “One View” Solution: A powerful demo featured Morgan Gleason, a patient who previously managed 50 different portals to track her care. Using apps enabled to exchange via the Carequality framework, she demonstrated how a patient can now view all their meds and records in a single view and generate a QR code for specialists to instantly access the necessary data. This is a major milestone for patient access, availability, and control in managing their healthcare.
- Industry Alignment: Nearly half of the early adopters at the event were Carequality implementers, proving that our framework is a preferred foundation for innovative patient-facing apps.
Introducing the Trust Enhancing Workgroup
Trust has always been our “North Star,” but it requires constant maintenance. Steering Committee Co-Chair Ryan Howells announced the launch of the Trust Enhancing Workgroup.
This group is tasked with:
- Developing actionable recommendations to increase transparency across the community.
- Identifying best practices that could inform national exchange standards, such as TEFCA.
- Addressing community concerns with updated governance policies.
Ensuring Integrity: The Restricted Participation List (RPL)
Transparency is a two-way street. This is why we are introducing a critical new policy: the Restricted Participation List (RPL). Previously discussed under various names such as “RAD” or “Not in Good Standing,” the RPL is a formal mechanism for protecting the framework.
- What it is: A directory of implementers or connections that have been inactivated, suspended, or terminated due to non-compliance or during an investigation into misuse.
- Why it matters: This policy provides implementers with the “due diligence” they need before onboarding new connections. It acts as a gatekeeper, ensuring that historical misuse is visible and that bad actors are restricted from re-entering the community under different guises.
- Effective Date: Pending final review, this policy is expected to go live later this month.
Leadership Growth
We are also proud to welcome Deven McGraw to the Carequality Board of Directors as the Steering Committee-appointed member. As the Chief Regulatory and Privacy Officer for Citizen Health and a former leader at the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), Devin’s deep expertise in privacy and regulation will be invaluable as she co-chairs the Steering Committee alongside Ryan Howells.
As a reminder, the applications for the Board-appointed seat are open now – don’t miss your chance to contribute to Carequality’s leadership.
Looking Ahead: See You in Texas!
As Lee reflects on his first two months as Executive Director, one thing is clear: Carequality is continuing our commitment to listening, evolving, and leading the way forward in interoperability. We’re excited about what lies ahead, and we want you to be part of it!
Save the Date: Join us in person for the Carequality Annual Meeting on October 28-29, 2026, at the beautiful Lost Pines Resort just outside of Austin, Texas. Together, let’s shape the next decade of interoperability.