SandwYch

Accessing health data shouldn’t be harder than receiving care.

The Sequoia Project’s newly released draft, Simplifying Data Access for Better Patient Experience: Best Practices and Implementation Toolkit for Providers, was developed by the Consumer Engagement Strategy Workgroup. The draft outlines practical ways to reduce administrative burden and remove barriers that patients and caregivers face when trying to access their own health information.

This work reflects a simple but powerful shift: designing data access through the eyes of the patient. Public comments are open through April 2nd. We encourage our network to review and share feedback.

Read the document here: https://sequoiaproject.org/interoperability-matters/consumer-engagement-strategy-workgroup/best-practices-and-implementation-toolkit-for-providers/

Not all care partners think, feel, or cope in the same way. That understanding is at the heart of SandwYch’s research-driven approach to care partner support.

Led by Deborah Nichols, Co-Founder of SandwYch and Associate Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Purdue University, the SandwYch team conducted original research to identify distinct care partner motivational types and examine how stress, burnout, and engagement patterns differ across groups.

Evidence-based typology helps SandwYch personalize support and anticipate when care partners may need targeted guidance or emotional reinforcement. Our first manuscript is published, with more research underway to strengthen the foundation of care partner-centered innovation.

Learn how research is shaping the future of compassionate care partner support: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1608435/full

The SandwYch team has been showing up where the future of care coordination is being shaped and bringing those insights back into our work. Here’s what we’ve been up to!

🔹 HL7 CMS FHIR Connectathon
We joined implementers from across the health IT ecosystem at the HL7 International and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services FHIR Connectathon. The hands-on collaboration reinforced how essential interoperability is to reducing friction for care teams and supporting more connected patient and caregiver experiences.

🔹 The Sequoia Project & Carequality Annual Meeting
At the Sequoia Project and Carequality Annual Meeting, we connected with healthcare leaders and policy experts advancing a nationwide trusted exchange. The conversations highlighted the growing momentum behind shared infrastructure that supports whole-person care.

🔹 eHealth Exchange HIE Annual Meeting in Nashville
We participated in the eHealth Exchange Annual Meeting, where discussions explored how AI, policy, and interoperability are reshaping healthcare. A clear takeaway emerged: data exchange only matters if it improves real-world experiences for patients, families, and care teams.

🔹 New peer-reviewed research published
We also celebrated the publication of new research by Amy Laine and Deb Nichols in Frontiers in Psychology, focused on strengthening the role of care partners as an integral part of the care team. This work continues to ground SandwYch in evidence-based design and reinforces our commitment to building tools that support patients and those who care for them.

We’re energized by the collaboration, inspired by the progress, and excited to keep building toward more connected, human-centered care.