Three years ago, our Department kicked off the Health Data Initiative with 45 people gathered in a conference room. Our theory was that if we unlocked the vast stores of public data our Department collects on everything from provider quality to clinical trials, entrepreneurs would use it to create new tools that would lead to better health for Americans and lower costs across the system.

This week marks the fourth annual edition of what has come to be known as ‘Datapalooza,’ and the results have exceeded our wildest expectations. What started as a small brainstorming session has grown into an event that brings together nearly 2,000 tech developers, health care professionals, researchers, policy makers, and business executives. Apps and software showcased at Datapalooza are now being used to do everything from creating customized hospital discharge plans that help reduce readmissions to helping consumers research surgical procedures. (more…)