Paul Meyer, Executive Founder and President of the The Commons Project Foundation shares insights on the importance of good data to ensure good health.

1. A global tech nonprofit building digital
services for the common good.
Established with support from the:

2. 2
The Commons Project Foundation is an
independent global tech nonprofit building and
operating platforms and services that empower
people to access, manage, and share their data.
We aim to fill a void that exists between
governments and tech companies in operating
digital public infrastructure services for the
common good.
Established with support from:
About The Commons Project

3. Person-Centered Smart Health
We believe…
Every individual should be empowered
to access and hold their health
information,
and easily share it with the health
organizations they trust
to inform the care they receive,
and unlock the potential of next
generation digital health services.
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4. Good Health Can’t Be Delivered Without Good Data
Health care providers - whether
community health workers or next
generation digital health services
- can’t deliver quality care if they
don’t have good information
about the patients they serve.
Yet because of health system
fragmentation, individuals’ health
information is often spread
across multiple places.
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5. Enterprise Health Data Sharing
Health
Systems
Pharmacies
Labs
Public Health
For decades, the approach
to addressing this
challenge has been to
implement institution-to-
institution health data
sharing.
This approach requires
both technical integrations
and data sharing
agreements between all
participating institutions.
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6. Person-Centered Smart Health Model
A new, much simpler approach is to give people digital access to their
health information, and let them bring it with them when they seek
care.
People can share their data via smartphone or using QR codes printed
on paper.
This “bring your own data” model is much simpler, and radically more
cost-effective to implement and maintain.
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Where We Began…
In 2017, Apple launched Apple Health
enabling iPhone users to collect, manage
and share their health data.
There was no equivalent for Android users.
US market share 51% 49%
Global market share 28% 72%
Tech Project Aims to Address
Disparities in Who Can
Access Health Information

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Android platform for people to collect, store
and share their health data.
Integrated with 700+ Health Data Sources:
● Health Systems
● EHR Platforms
● Labs
● Smart Devices
● Health Plans (via Patient Access API)
Data-sharing with user consent.
Developer toolkit for integration with digital
platforms (mirrors Apple HealthKit).
Connections include:
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Mo
Mobile Devices and Health

9. 9
Labs
Health
Insurers
800+
Health
Systems
Pharmacies
(SMART Health
Cards)
Arizona
California
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Illinois
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Mississippi
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Oregon
Rhode Island
Virginia
Washington
Apple Health & CommonHealth currently allow
individuals to access their health data from
over 800 health systems, labs and other data
sources.
States
(SMART Health
Cards)
CommonHealth & Apple Health

10. Paul’s CommonHealth Account
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11. Paul’s Apple Health Account
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12. CommonHealth / Apple Health -> Provider / Payer
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With that data, providers and
health plans can:
● Inform the care and
services they provide
● Better understand the
health profile of new
patients or members
● Improve risk stratification
● Connect members to
appropriate care
management & programs
● Close gaps in care
Data sharing:
● EHR Records
● Lab results
● Medications
● Immunizations
● Historical claims
Individuals can consent to share their data from CommonHealth / Apple
Health with their provider or health plan.

13. In 2020, in response to the Pandemic, we launched CommonPass to enable
safe travel and border reopening.

14. SMART Health Card Standard
● HL7 FHIR has emerged as the global standard format
for interoperable electronic health data
● The SMART Health Card standard builds on HL7 FHIR to
allow health data to be shared with people in a
tamper-proof format that other institutions can trust.
● SMART Health Card records can be shared as QR
codes that can be printed on paper, sent via email,
or carried in smartphone apps.
● Initially developed for COVID vaccination records and
lab results, it is now being extended to support many
additional health data types:
○ all vaccination records
○ all lab results
○ health insurance information
○ patient summary
○ prescriptions
Health Cards
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15. SMART Health Card Adoption
Canada
East African Community
Japan
Kenya
North Macedonia
Rwanda
Senegal
Taiwan
US
30 States
800+ Health Systems
All Leading Pharmacies
Leading Technology Platforms
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16. Mobile Platform Adoption
iOS 15.1 lets you store your COVID-19
vaccination card in the Wallet app
(SMART Health Cards)
The Commons Project Foundation
Collaborates with Google To Introduce
SMART® Health Cards for Android
Samsung and the Commons Project
Foundation Introduce SMART
Health Cards Within Samsung Pay
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17. SMART Health Card Verifier

18. In order for health organizations to rely on certain types of
health data carried by an individual, they will often need
the ability to assess the trustworthiness of the data’s
source.
The CommonTrust Network is a registry of health
organizations participating in the Person-Centered Smart
Health model. It includes information about the
organizations, their qualifications and the details of their
technical implementations.
The CommonTrust Network API can be used by third
parties to access profile information about participating
organizations and use it to verify the health information
they have provided.
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19. Enabling the Model
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Sources of Health Data Health Data Verifiers
People

20. Before COVID, the travel industry and border agencies were
working on multiple initiatives to enable seamless travel.

21. During COVID, when borders began to reopen, health
screenings were implemented as overlay requirements, and
not integrated with the core travel workflow.
Different airlines, different countries implemented health
screenings in different ways.
The result was confusion, frustration and delay.

22. As many countries lift health restrictions, there is a recognition
that health screening will likely need to be an element of travel
and border crossing in the future - at least on a standby basis
for rapid activation in case of a new wave or future pandemic.
But it should be done in a flexible and integrated manner.

23. IATA and its member airlines consider the
use of the Single Window concept by
those governments requesting passenger
data as a cornerstone of efficient and
effective passenger and cargo related
data exchange system
Contracting States requesting
standardized health documents
and/or health-related documentation
should consider developing a HEALTH
DIGITAL PLATFORM where passengers
can apply for obtaining a
NOTIFICATION OF APPROVAL TO TRAVEL
by the States of destination and
transit

29. Verifies digital health credentials from over 60 countries.

30. And paper.

31. Is the document authentic? Does it contain a verifiable QR code?
If not, does it match a known document format?
Is it from a trusted source? Is the issuer of the document registered in a
trust registry (e.g. CommonTrust Network)?
Does it pertain to the same person? Does the ID information on the travel certificate
match the passport info?
Does it satisfy the health screening rules? Does the health information in the document
satisfy the rules set and maintained by the
health department?
Health Document Checking

34. Health agency maintains
health screening rules
Health documents
checked against rules
Traveler uploads
health documents
Airline notified
passenger is OK to board
Traveler receives
digital travel
authorization
Government
portal/app

35. Health Screening 2.0
● Clear travelers before the journey begins
● Integrated with standard travel and border processes
● Supports all credentials types - vaccinations + tests…
and paper
● Flexible to accomodate frequent health rule changes
● Can operate on a stand-by basis, ready for the next
wave or next pandemic

36. Thank you!
paul@thecommonsproject.org