On March 7, 2024, Connecting for Better Health hosted our 1st Annual Day at the Capitol to highlight the Data Exchange Framework (DxF) and advance data sharing for Californians. The day started with a policy briefing in the state capitol building, followed by legislative visits to over 30 state offices.
The briefing spotlighted stories across a diverse group of health and social service leaders emphasizing the need to strengthen the DxF and pass Assembly Bill 1331, which would further the implementation of the DxF. Assemblymember Jim Wood, author of AB 1331, kicked off the panel with enthusiastic remarks on his vision and passion for the DxF.
Dr. Jackie Ejuwa of Blue Shield California and Katie Heidorn of California Health Care Foundation made opening remarks before introducing the panelists:
- Anwar Zoueihid, Partners in Care Foundation, discussed how California can dismantle the existing silos within care delivery to establish a streamlined and more effective continuum of care.
- Michelle Kuppich, California Food is Medicine Coalition, advocated for the importance of providing medically tailored meals alongside timely data. “Getting our clients qualified faster for service means that we can get meals to people and deliver life-saving nutrition much quicker,” shared Michelle.
- Dr. Hakeem Adeniyi, Sacramento Native American Health Center, warned of the potential repercussions of delayed and incomplete data exchange. “Let’s ensure that the health information exchange is a priority because it truly does save lives and can have a profound impact on personal health and communities,” stated Dr. Adeniyi.
- William York, 211 San Diego/CIE/SD Health Connect, highlighted the successes resulting from the effective data exchange between health and social services entities.
Legislative Visits Key Themes
In the afternoon, the coalition broke into small groups to attend legislative visits with over 30 offices. Key themes of the visits included:
- Discussion to address unfamiliarity with the DxF
- Interest in AB 1331 updates and how legislation can support the implementation of the DxF
- The critical role of social services in the DxF and need to prioritize cross-sector collaboration
- A call to strengthen the language and definitions in AB 1331
During these conversations, legislative staffers engaged in critical conversations with C4BH members on key topics, including the integration of CalAIM with the DxF, the coordination of benefits across various entities by the DxF, ensuring privacy and security measures, and strategies to enhance DxF participation.
C4BH is dedicated to prioritizing the needs of patients, caregivers, and providers. At our inaugural Capitol Day, we underscored these perspectives, emphasizing the importance of governance, enforcement, and accountability within the DxF. The coalition endorses AB 1331 and Dr. Wood’s initiatives, and pledges ongoing collaboration to advance this legislation. We extend our gratitude to all who joined us in support of our mission to leverage data sharing to enhance the health of Californians.
View the briefing panel recording here.
Resources from the briefing panel are also available here.
