Healthcare systems have leveraged Electronic Medical Records (EMR) Software, Patient Portals, and Practice Management solutions for efficient workflow management. However, most of these software systems are not seamlessly interconnected, hindering productivity and increasing healthcare costs.
Why is interoperability in healthcare important?
Interoperable software systems in healthcare facilitate the seamless exchange of health data creating a unifying environment. When EHR systems and billing software solutions talk to each other information can be interpreted with similar systems and outside. Interoperability eventually results in better care quality and helps save money for medical practices. Healthcare interoperability has many benefits such as;
- Interoperable systems make it possible for physicians to access all crucial data they need in real-time to support patient diagnosis and treatment.
- The patient care journey is enhanced.
- Data exchanges occur automatically in interoperable systems, eliminating errors due to manually coordinating data information exchange.
- Supports early diagnosis with the help of interoperable systems.
- Interoperability in healthcare also promotes patient engagement and patient education. Providers can easily share resource training and educational material via the patient portal software to be accessed by patients.
- Interoperability has eliminated manual data entry tasks which can reduce physician burnout and simplify daily tasks.
Key challenges with interoperability in healthcare
A survey conducted by the Center for Connected Medicine revealed that fewer than 40% of medical providers in the USA have adapted interoperability to share health data seamlessly with other organizations. So what are the barricades to interoperability in healthcare?
- Standards are tough to adopt – Achieving interoperability requires a team effort, but every clinic follows different practices so the standards are different. Different information exchange rules in EHR Software and FHIR make the implementation process for hospitals disorganized.
- Excessive data needs to be handled – When data flows from one system to another there are many chances for it to overflow, and preventing this overflow of data or information is not a simple task. If the data is not handled properly by IoT, EMR Software, and internal hospital systems, it can lead to a disruption in processes. Therefore, hospitals invest in data integration tools and healthcare analytics to avoid this problem.
- Lack of financial resources and skills – To make an interoperable environment medical clinics and organizations need to make initial investments which can lead to huge cost saving down the line. However, many healthcare organizations lack the financial resources to make the desired changes. Another obstacle to interoperability is the lack of training. By training staff members they will be able to use interoperable systems properly which can enhance workflow efficiency.
What is the future of healthcare interoperability?
Despite the key problems mentioned above the prospects of interoperability seems promising due to technological advancements in, AI, blockchain, and APIs.
APIs in healthcare make it easier for clinicians to achieve software interoperability at both internal and cross-organizational levels. Through APIs, patients can have easy access to treatment records, lab results, and medical information. Furthermore, FHIR APIs form a consistent standard for every system, facilitating third-party integrations.
Blockchain technology helps to keep patient data secure as it is being exchanged between different systems. AI systems provide doctors with real-time insights, making data from multiple sources more meaningful to improve patient outcomes.
The unified environment for health data created by interoperability can yield many benefits for health systems, hospitals, pharmacies, insurers, and patients at large.
