by Leo Pak Most pilots begin with a sense of reassurance. Data is flowing. Interfaces are live. Dashboards show steady volume. From the outside, everything looks healthy. The system appears to be doing exactly what it was built to do. For the first few weeks, no alarms go off. Then we start to slow the conversation down. Instead of asking how much data is coming in, we ask a quieter question. How much of this data can you actually rely on? That question changes everything. Ac

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept—it's reshaping healthcare right now. From speeding up diagnoses to personalizing treatment plans, AI is unlocking new possibilities that were once unimaginable. As someone deeply involved in healthcare data and technology, I see firsthand how AI is transforming the way health systems, HIEs, payers, and public health agencies operate. The potential is vast, and the journey has only just begun. The Rise of AI in Healthca

If you have been in health data long enough, you know the old routine. Step one: a regulation defines what “must” be available. Step two: certification turns that “must” into checkboxes. Step three: the market pretends the checkboxes mean the data will actually work in the wild. HTI-5 is a loud document with a quiet consequence. HTI-5 refers to the upcoming deregulatory actions under the Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability (HTI) framework, aimed at reducing regulato

This week marked a major inflection point for rural healthcare in the United States. With the formal announcement and rollout guidance for the Rural Health Transformation Act (RHT Act), states now have clarity, funding, and a mandate to move from planning to execution. The law authorizes $50 billion in federal funding over multiple years to revamp rural healthcare delivery, with a clear emphasis on Medicaid transformation, behavioral health integration, workforce sustainabili

by David Wetherelt Medicaid is being reshaped by one undeniable reality. States are no longer judged by how much data they collect. They are judged by how effectively they use it to drive outcomes, reduce disparities, and prove value to CMS. Every state has built or inherited a massive Medicaid data warehouse. But the question today is whether those warehouses can support the demands of modern Medicaid programs like 1115 Waivers, DSRIP, and HRSN initiatives. Most cannot. They

Healthcare is evolving fast. Data is at the heart of this transformation. But raw data alone is not enough. We need innovative health data solutions that turn fragmented information into actionable insights. This is where the future lies - in harnessing data to improve patient outcomes, streamline operations, and empower decision-makers. The challenge is clear: healthcare data is vast, complex, and often siloed. Yet, the opportunity is immense. By innovating how we collect, i

Healthcare today resembles a giant jigsaw puzzle with millions of pieces. Clinical notes, lab results, claims files, imaging, SDOH indicators, genetic variants, social service encounters, wearable data, and patient-reported metrics are everywhere. We have more data than any system in human history. And yet, as Don Berwick famously warned, “Data without context is noise. Data with intent is knowledge.” For years, healthcare has been drowning in noise and starving for context.

Healthcare is evolving fast. Data is no longer just a byproduct of care; it’s the fuel driving smarter decisions and better outcomes. But raw data alone isn’t enough. We need platforms that can transform fragmented information into actionable insights. That’s where AI-ready healthcare platforms come in. They are reshaping how health systems, payers, and public health agencies operate, making healthcare more efficient, predictive, and personalized. The Rise of AI-Ready Health

Healthcare data is complex and fragmented. Patient records, lab results, imaging, claims, and public health data often exist in silos. AI-ready healthcare platforms break down these barriers by integrating diverse data sources into a unified system. This integration enables advanced analytics and machine learning models to operate efficiently.

Executives need systems that strengthen relationships, not strain them. They need confidence that their data tells a consistent story, that their operations scale without chaos, and that compliance is automated rather than manual.

By David Wetherelt Summary:  Genomics is ready for primetime, but most health systems and HIEs cannot actually use it at scale. A Genomic Health Record (GHR) layer, integrated with HIEs and Health Data Utilities (HDUs), is the missing infrastructure for precision medicine and Whole Person care. This article lays out the business case, the data flow, the clinical wins, and a pragmatic adoption path, with a spotlight on MTHFR and methylation as a concrete example of genetics i

In today’s healthcare landscape, data is king. But raw data alone doesn’t drive better outcomes. It’s the ability to integrate, manage, and analyze this data that unlocks its true power. Yet, health data integration challenges remain a significant barrier. Fragmented systems, inconsistent formats, and privacy concerns all complicate the picture. I’ve seen firsthand how overcoming these hurdles can transform healthcare delivery and decision-making. Let’s dive into the core cha

Artificial Intelligence is transforming nearly every corner of healthcare. From predictive analytics and diagnostic imaging to population health and administrative workflows, AI is changing the game. Yet beneath the excitement lies a quiet but persistent truth that the industry often overlooks: AI is only as intelligent as the data it learns from. Across the healthcare landscape, organizations are discovering that their biggest obstacle to successful AI adoption is not techno

By Leo Pak, CEO – Interstella Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) have long been the backbone of healthcare data sharing, connecting...

Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) have been the backbone of healthcare data sharing. They connect electronic medical records (EMRs) to ensure continuity of care across providers. Every day, a regional HIE processes millions of messages, including lab results, prescriptions, discharge summaries, and referrals. In some systems, this totals nearly a billion transactions annually. For years, this defined success: HIEs as pipelines, moving data efficiently. But as healthcare piv

Understanding the Evolution of Health Information Exchanges Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) were born out of a simple promise: to make data move. For the past two decades, this promise has shaped everything from regional networks to national frameworks. TEFCA, the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, was designed to hardwire the pipes, ensuring data could flow between systems regardless of vendor or geography. Versions 1.0 and 2.0 delivered that baseline — agr

By Leo Pak, CEO – Interstella For more than a decade, Health Information Exchanges have survived on the same operating playbook: win...

By Leo Pak, CEO – Interstella Artificial intelligence is no longer on the horizon. It is here, reshaping every corner of healthcare. The...

Healthcare has always been about people, but the data systems behind it have often told only half the story. For decades, Health...

In today's fast-paced world, healthcare is evolving rapidly. One of the most significant changes is the use of real-time data refinery...