Internet Pioneer Stuart Brand once said “On the one hand information wants to be expensive because it’s so valuable. The right information in the right place just changes your life. On the other hand, information wants to be free, because the cost of getting it out is getting lower and lower all the time. So you have these two fighting against each other.”  That thirty-year-old phrase is an eerily prescient commentary on the state of health data interoperability today in 2018. Welcome to Steps to Value, the people process and technology podcast from HIMSS. In this episode, we explore the state of personal connected health interoperability with Michael Kirwan, Vice President and Thom Erickson, Director, Technical Operations for Continua. We talk about the role of the Continua Design Guidelines in creating secure, interoperable health data exchange for personal health devices.  We discuss the importance of standards in driving effective health data interoperability, and the challenges across the globe for healthcare systems trying to achieve interoperability that positively impacts clinical and operational outcomes.  This Episode’s Guests:Michael Kirwan, MBA, PMPVice President, ContinuaPersonal Health Connected AllianceConnect with Michael Thomas Erickson, MSBA, BSEEDirector of Technical Operations, ContinuaPersonal Health Connected AllianceConnect with Thom Continua Design GuidelinesThe Continua Design Guidelines are only open implementation framework for authentic, end-to-end interoperability of personal connected health devices and systems.  The guidelines are based on common international standards and are built on four key principles: Unity, Benevolent, Inclusive, Holistic.  Learn more about the Continua Design Guidelines here. Personal Connected Health AllianceThe Personal Connected Health Alliance (PCHAlliance) aims to make health and wellness an effortless part of daily life. The PCHAlliance, a non-profit organization formed by HIMSS, believes that health is personal and extends beyond healthcare. The Alliance mobilizes a coalition of stakeholders to realize the full potential of personal connected health. PCHAlliance members are a vibrant ecosystem of technology and life sciences industry icons and innovative, early-stage companies along with governments, academic institutions, and associations from around the world.  Learn more about the PCHAlliance here.