By Joe Hickey, VP of Provider Markets, Verato
When identity steps into the spotlight
When Verato’s message lit up Times Square, it was a moment of real pride, not just for our team but for what it represents. Seeing our name up there wasn’t about a promotion; it was a reflection of how far the conversation around identity in healthcare has come. For so long, identity was treated as a back-office problem, something only the data or IT teams worried about.
Now it’s front and center in how organizations think about delivering care and the promise of healthier more connected communities. Because the truth is, mastering data isn’t just about systems or records, it’s about people. It’s about being able to see and understand every individual across every point of care. When we talk about identity at Verato, we’re really talking about trust.
The health systems and providers we serve depend on that trust. They need confidence that the data they use every day is accurate, connected, and complete so they can treat patients as whole people. For me, that’s what the Times Square moment symbolized: a broader recognition that identity touches everything in healthcare, from patient experiences to provider efficiency and outcomes.
Knowing Who Is Who, then and now
With more than 30 years in healthcare, I’ve watched the challenge of identity evolve dramatically. In the early days, it meant reconciling spreadsheets, charts, white boards, post-it-notes and patient records across systems that couldn’t communicate. Fast-forward to today, and data is flowing faster and more freely than ever, from EHRs, apps, wearables, telehealth, and partner networks, all in real time. The challenge hasn’t disappeared; it’s grown more complex.
That’s where Verato helps bridge the gap. Using our patented Referential Matching® approach, we bring together the many pieces of a person’s health story into one connected record, a single, longitudinal view that spans every interaction and every point of care. When organizations can finally see the whole person, not just their data, care becomes more coordinated, decisions become clearer, and connections across the healthcare ecosystem become stronger.
The quiet hero behind connected care
Identity intelligence has quietly become the hero behind truly connected care. Think about it: a patient doesn’t care how many systems their provider uses, they just expect their information to be right and their care to feel seamless.
But it’s not just about the patient. When identity is mastered, everyone in the care ecosystem benefits. Physicians gain confidence in the accuracy of the data in front of them. Care coordinators can see the full picture of a patient’s journey. Administrative teams reduce duplicates, speed up referrals, and eliminate friction that frustrates both patients and staff. And when provider data is accurate, clinicians are easier to credential, easier to find, and more connected to the right networks.
That means patients can access the right care faster, and providers spend less time navigating bureaucracy and more time delivering care. Identity intelligence is the thread that ties together the patient and provider journey, strengthening the relationships that define great care.
Building AI on a trusted foundation
Today, every organization is racing to adopt AI and accelerate digital transformation. But here’s the truth: AI is only as good as the data it learns from. If your data is fragmented or filled with duplicates, your insights and your AI are going to be flawed. That’s why identity resolution is such a critical foundation for transformation.
At Verato, we ensure every digital initiative starts with accurate, trusted data about people. When organizations master identity, their AI models perform better, their analytics are more reliable, and their digital tools finally deliver on the promise of personalization, connecting behavioral, social, and household insights to the clinical picture. It’s the difference between guessing who you’re serving and truly knowing who you’re serving.
What’s next for healthcare
We’re entering an era where data mastery will define success. The organizations that thrive will be those that connect every part of the ecosystem,payers, providers, and partners; around a shared, trusted view of people. And the next frontier is experience, not just the patient experience but the provider experience too. Both groups want simplicity, transparency, and connection. They want care that feels personal and data that works seamlessly in the background. It all starts with identity.
At Verato, we believe identity is the connective tissue of healthcare’s digital future. The more we help organizations master it, the more we’ll see care that feels human again, for patients, providers, and everyone in between.
Watch the Q&A with Joe Hickey:
