Only a third of healthcare organizations rate their data integration capabilities as "excellent," exposing a major weakness as value-based care adoption accelerates, a new report revealed.
According to Reveleer and Mathematica's 2025 State of Technology in Value-Based Care report, which draws on a Harris Poll of 203 payer and provider decision-makers across the United States, while payers and providers are aligned on VBC goals, fragmented technology strategies and inconsistent execution could stall progress.
Alignment is strong in principle: 100% of surveyed providers and 97% of payers reported their VBC goals are aligned. In practice, however, execution remains siloed. Most organizations reported contract growth over the past year (92% of payers, 81% of providers), and nearly all expect further increases in the next 12 months.
However, without better integration and collaboration, scaling these initiatives will be difficult – challenges around data management illustrate the gap.
A big role for IT leaders
Jay Ackerman, CEO of Reveleer, told Healthcare IT News that IT leaders play a critical role in breaking down the silos that hinder payer-provider execution of value-based care by championing robust data integration and interoperability, leading joint technology and AI strategies, and fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement.
"They must prioritize simplifying data flows, standardizing technology processes, expanding joint staff training on AI and analytics, and implementing unified cybersecurity protocols," he said.
He explained by moving beyond traditional "support" roles and forging shared digital systems, IT leaders can align operations across organizations, eliminate persistent workflow barriers, and enable both payers and providers to realize the full potential of value-based care strategies.
While nearly all respondents in the report recognize strong data strategy as a competitive advantage, fewer than half are very confident in the accuracy and completeness of their patient data.
Interoperability tools a must
Ackerman said to help IT teams get past the struggles of fragmented data integration in value-based care, it's essential to standardize how data is formatted and use interoperability tools like secure APIs and common data ingestion frameworks.
"These make EHRs, claims and analytics platforms talk to each other more easily," he explained.
Every payer and provider surveyed is using AI, and more than 80% cite improvements in efficiency, decision-making and patient outcomes.
However, only around 40% are fully committed to AI, and fewer than 30% reported significant growth in use over the past year. Concerns about hallucinations, explainability and bias continue to slow widespread trust and scaling.
A problem with training
Meanwhile, training remains a bottleneck – a lack of workforce readiness limits AI's potential impact. The report found while AI tools are widely available, just 30% of payers and 32% of providers offer extensive training programs.
Ackerman suggested easy-to-follow modules that blend hands-on experience with foundational AI concepts would help demystify the technology and address fear or skepticism.
Facilitating collaboration between IT teams, clinicians and operational staff through workshops and peer-led sessions ensures training stays relevant to daily tasks and evolving needs.
"Layering in education on ethical use, data security and change management will further prepare staff not just to use AI tools, but to advocate for responsible and effective integration within their organizations," Ackerman added.
The new AI Action Plan
A federal AI Action Plan highlights healthcare as one of the sectors most in need of accelerated AI adoption, citing regulatory complexity, lack of governance standards and industry distrust as barriers.
To address these gaps, the plan proposes building AI "testbeds" in secure, real-world environments to safely pilot systems and translate innovation into practice.
Mount Sinai researchers have developed a machine learning model that helps streamline emergency department admissions and bed placements, aiming to reduce overcrowding, improve staff efficiency and enhance patient outcomes.
Delays in these decisions have been linked to worse outcomes and higher mortality rates, the study noted.
Nathan Eddy is a healthcare and technology freelancer based in Berlin.
Email the writer: nathaneddy@gmail.com
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.
