As federal health IT priorities continue to evolve, the ASTP Annual Meeting has become an important forum for understanding not just what standards and policies exist, but how they are expected to work in practice. The 2026 meeting comes at a moment when interoperability and emerging uses of AI are no longer theoretical. They are shaping how healthcare organizations plan, invest, and operate. 

There’s a growing emphasis on moving from policy and standards definition to implementation and accountability across federal programs and implementation partners. The agenda covers topics like interoperability, TEFCA, data access, and responsible technology use. This shift indicates a move from setting general guidelines to focusing on making data trustworthy, properly governed, and useful across public and private environments. 

From an industry perspective, there is increasing recognition that standards alone are not enough. As health data moves across organizations, programs, and care settings, the challenge is less about whether data can be exchanged and more about whether it is usable, governed, and reliable at scale. This has important implications across both public and private sector environments with regard to operational burden. 

Orion Health sees this as a pivotal moment. Policy discussions are increasingly intersecting with real-world operational realities. We frequently hear organizations talk about being asked to support interoperability, patient access, and innovation while also managing risk, compliance, and long-term sustainability. That tension is driving renewed focus on enterprise data foundations that can support evolving standards without constant re-architecture. 

James Henderson, SVP & General Manager at Orion Health, will be attending the ASTP Annual Meeting to listen and engage with peers and partners across the health IT ecosystem as federal priorities continue to evolve. 

What We’re Watching Ahead of ASTP 2026 

  • How national interoperability priorities are shifting from compliance to practical data use 
  • Where governance and trust are emerging as prerequisites for AI and advanced analytics 
  • How federal guidance is balancing innovation with accountability and risk management 

As the healthcare industry looks beyond defining standards toward making data work in the real world, forums like ASTP provide valuable insight into where national expectations are heading and how technology, policy, and operations must align.