Learning from the History of Statewide Health Data Exchange in California

California policymakers are taking a significant opportunity to improve the state’s fragmented regional data sharing efforts and to create a model for the country: Governor Gavin Newsom’s 2021–22 budget proposal and the budget passed by the legislature includes $2.5 million to develop health information exchange (HIE) leadership within the state. There is also active legislation seeking to advance HIE in California.

California policymakers can use past lessons to build successful data exchange initiatives for the future. The state has been down this road before, however, with a failed attempt to create a statewide data exchange that ended nearly a decade ago. Policymakers would be well-advised to examine the factors that stymied earlier efforts.

CHCF asked Dawn Gallagher, a national expert on statewide data exchanges, to outline what she learned after reviewing literature and interviewing key stakeholders who played critical roles in the design and implementation of California’s efforts from 2009 to 2014. We share Gallagher’s answers to crucial questions and a timeline of critical events. The Q&A and timeline are available for download below.