&gt;If a system stores data, the vendor will provide an API and&#x2F;or SDK, with accompanying documentation, such that authenticated requests may create, read, update or delete that data programmatically as appropriate.<p>I almost feel like you&#x27;re overstating the current state of the market here.<p>Yes, things are very bad as they stand today. Interop is <i>nowhere</i> near where it should be. There are definitely vendors that do their best to wring out as much lock-in as possible (e.g., Epic), but most systems can be integrated through HL7 messaging and --increasingly-- CCD exchange. I&#x27;d say that the biggest issue with it right now is that most vendors treat integration as a (very expensive) value-add rather than core functionality. The situation could be better, but the problem today has as much to do with legacy systems that are going to take a long time to integrate or replace as anything, IMO.<p>I do find it interesting that you talk about healthcare taking a page from social media because that&#x27;s essentially the direction the market is already headed with HIEs. I&#x27;m most familiar with McKesson&#x27;s RelayHealth because it&#x27;s what I&#x27;ve worked on, but HIEs can be thought of as Facebook for healthcare. Patients can connect to their providers, messages can be sent between provider and patient, and clinical data can be shared to the patient or to other providers that are appropriately linked (like with a referral).<p>From what I&#x27;ve seen, industry reaction to HealthKit has been pretty lukewarm. I&#x27;m not optimistic about Apple establishing themselves as a particularly strong presence in the larger healthcare space.<p>And, FWIW, the HITECH has lit a fire for both facilities and vendors both to get their act together on this front by tying Medicare reimbursement rates to use of both EHRs and interop with HIEs.