Sustaining the Work That Sustains Trust: Why I’m Seeking Support for Some of My Standards Efforts

For many years, I’ve used this blog to explore the intersection of healthcare, privacy, and interoperability. Much of my professional life has been dedicated to helping the industry build systems that respect patient autonomy, protect sensitive information, and communicate clearly across organizational and technical boundaries.

Recently, I launched Moehrke Research, my independent consulting practice. It’s still early in its development, but it reflects the same principles that have guided my work for decades: clarity, transparency, and a commitment to practical, implementable standards. As I grow this business, I’m also continuing to invest deeply in common-goods efforts that advance the broader ecosystem.

Right now, that includes two areas that are both urgent and foundational:

• AI transparency in healthcare, through my pro bono work on the HL7 AI Transparency Implementation Guide
• Privacy‑sensitive data handling, through contributions to the SHIFT Task Force and the HL7 Sensitivity IG (a specialization of HL7 DS4P)

These efforts are essential to the future of trustworthy digital health. They also require a significant investment of time—time that I’ve been donating because I believe deeply in the work and in the communities that will benefit from it.

But the reality is that these projects have grown in scope and complexity. They now demand sustained, focused attention to ensure they mature into practical, implementable guidance that organizations can rely on. And that level of commitment is difficult to maintain without dedicated support.

Why This Work Matters

Healthcare is entering a period where AI‑generated content, automated decision support, and increasingly granular privacy expectations are no longer theoretical. They are here, influencing care, shaping patient experiences, and challenging long‑standing assumptions about data governance.

The AI Transparency IG aims to give implementers a clear, standards‑based way to document how AI systems contribute to clinical information—what models were used, what data informed them, how confident they were, and what human oversight was involved. This is not just a technical exercise; it’s a trust exercise. 

This IG just completed an HL7 ballot with over 100 comments. Very good and constructive comments. There is so much work yet to be done to make this IG better and more clear.

Sensitive health topics are improving thru, the SHIFT Task Force and HL7 Sensitivity IG are tackling the nuanced, often fragmented world of privacy‑sensitive data. From reproductive health to behavioral health to social determinants, organizations need consistent, interoperable ways to tag, segment, and protect information that carries heightened risk. 

We are looking for a way to better and more clearly manage valueSets that can inform real-world use of data sensitivity tagging. This was once started by SAMHSA, but that effort has languished for 10+ years. The community need a more sustainable and actionable methodology. 

These are not optional capabilities. They are becoming regulatory expectations, ethical imperatives, and operational necessities.

Why I’m Asking for Support

I’ve always believed in contributing to the standards community. It’s where some of the most important work in healthcare happens. I have benefitted from past employers that allowed me to work on these Privacy and Authenticity topics. But the volume and depth of the current projects have reached a point where continuing entirely as pro bono work is no longer sustainable.

As I work to establish Moehrke Research, I also want to ensure that my contributions to these critical standards efforts remain strong and consistent. Funding would allow me to:

• Dedicate focused time to advancing the AI Transparency IG
• Support the SHIFT Task Force with detailed modeling, examples, and implementation guidance
• Strengthen the HL7 Sensitivity IG with real‑world, policy‑grounded segmentation patterns
• Produce documentation, diagrams, and educational materials that help implementers adopt these standards correctly
• Continue writing openly about these topics so the broader community benefits

In short, support would ensure that this work moves forward with the rigor, clarity, and speed it deserves.

How Organizations Can Help

If your organization depends on trustworthy AI, interoperable privacy controls, or clear guidance on handling sensitive health information, I invite you to consider sponsoring this work. Support can take many forms—direct funding, project‑based engagements, or contributions aligned with specific deliverables.

My goal is simple: to keep doing the work that helps the entire ecosystem function more safely and transparently. With your support, I can continue contributing at the level these efforts require.

If you’re interested in discussing sponsorship or collaboration, please reach out through MoehrkeResearch.com.