The Orion Health and HEALWELL AI team joined hundreds of health data leaders, state agencies, and innovators at the Civitas Networks for Health® Annual Conference in Anaheim, California. A week later, the conversations continue to resonate. The energy, candor, and shared sense of purpose reinforced that the health data community is united by a common goal: turning data into something that makes care better, faster, and more equitable. 

Data Quality Is the Foundation 

Across nearly every conversation, one theme rose to the top: data quality. Whether in the context of analytics, AI or clinical alerting, attendees agreed that clean, connected, and well-governed data is the foundation of everything else. HIEs and CIEs continue to face pressure to deliver value from fragmented sources, but the message was clear: value begins with trusted data. At Orion Health, we build with this principle in mind, helping our partners establish and maintain the high-quality data that enables insight and action. 

AI That Supports, Not Replaces 

Artificial intelligence was more common this year, and for good reasons. Conversations have shifted from speculation to application. AI was discussed as a practical, assistive partner rather than a replacement for human judgment. The real differentiator is data validation. As organizations evaluate AI tools, they should ask how the technology has been clinically validated and whether its performance has been proven through measurable outcomes or peer-reviewed research. Orion Health’s Amadeus AI, powered by the DARWEN™ AI engine, has been developed with clinical evidence and responsible design principles, meeting key U.S. regulatory and compliance standards for safe implementation. Its modular SMARTSuite solutions embed intelligence directly into clinical workflows, so organizations can access concise, validated insights that support decision-making without adding complexity.  

Data Utility for Every Community 

This year’s focus on rural and behavioral health underscored how data utility must serve every community, not just those with advanced technical infrastructure. Leaders emphasized that health data platforms are most powerful when they support underserved populations, enabling better coordination, identifying gaps, and delivering timely information to those who need it most. Orion Health partners with organizations of all sizes to make sure every HIE or CIE, regardless of geography or scale, can operate with the same quality of insight and interoperability as the nation’s largest networks. 

We’re proud to support organizations like SYNCRONYS, one of the nation’s first Health Data Utilities (HDUs), as they demonstrate how interoperable data infrastructure can serve both state and community-level needs. Their success illustrates how HDUs can make data more accessible and actionable for providers, public health agencies, and the people they serve. 

Trust and Governance Still Matter Most 

While technology evolves, trust and governance remain at the heart of progress. True interoperability depends as much on governance as on infrastructure. National frameworks, such as the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA), are gaining momentum, with tens of thousands of live sites and millions of documents exchanged nationwide. This progress underscores the growing emphasis on shared trust, compliance, and transparent governance. We heard repeated reminders that transparency, local control, and shared decision-making build the confidence necessary to share data responsibly. Orion Health designs every solution with governance and compliance at the forefront, because systems built on trust are the ones that last. 

Looking Ahead 

Civitas Networks for Health captured a turning point for our industry. The conversations have moved from potential to practice, from pilots to performance. We left Anaheim encouraged by the progress being made and inspired by the collective commitment to make data more useful, more trusted and more human. As an active member of Civitas Networks for Health, the team is already thinking ahead to 2026 conversations and we’ve saved the date for the 2026 Annual Conference, which will take place September 22-24 in Crystal City, Virginia.  

Contact us to explore how your HIE, CIE, or health organization can bridge the gap between data and doing, through reliable data, validated AI and transparent governance with Amadeus AI. 

Contact the team