The Importance of Interoperability in Health Information Exchange for Improved Patient Outcomes
The healthcare industry has been digitizing its operations at a rapid pace, with the goal of improving patient outcomes. One of the key elements of this digitization is the development of Health Information Exchange (HIE) systems, which allow medical professionals to securely share a patient’s health information between different healthcare providers. However, the effectiveness of HIEs is hampered when there’s a lack of interoperability between different platforms.
What is Interoperability in HIEs?
Interoperability is the ability of different technology systems to communicate and work together seamlessly. In the context of HIEs, it means that the system can collect, store, and share health information in a standardized format that can be used across different platforms. By achieving interoperability, healthcare providers can access a patient’s complete medical history from different sources, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of their patient’s health status.
The Benefits of Interoperability in HIEs
1. Improved Care Coordination: With interoperability, healthcare providers can easily share a patient’s updated health information, including their medical history, crucial test results, medication records, and allergy lists, to ensure that the care they provide is more coordinated. This translates to a higher likelihood of timely and accurate diagnoses, better care quality, and improved health outcomes.
2. Avoiding Medical Errors: Interoperability can help prevent potentially harmful incidents such as medication errors, wrong site surgeries, or delays in treatment due to incomplete patient data. By accessing comprehensive and accurate health information, care providers can make more informed decisions and avoid unnecessary and risky procedures.
3. Patient Engagement: Interoperability can also empower patients to play a more active role in managing their healthcare. When a patient’s health information is interoperable, they have better access to their health data as well as their care provider’s recommendations. This can help them better engage in their care decisions, be more informed about their treatment options, and become more invested in their health outcomes.
Examples of Interoperability in Action
1. Veterans Health Administration: In 2018, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) launched the Joint Legacy Viewer, an interoperability platform that gives VHA providers access to the Department of Defense’s electronic health records system. This initiative improved care coordination between VHA and the Department of Defense, so servicemen and women could receive more comprehensive care during and after their service.
2. Provider Access to Health Records (PAHR): Launched in 2020, PAHR, is a national program that offers Canadian primary care providers access to patients’ electronic health records from across the country. PAHR allows healthcare providers to access more complete patient information, enabling them to deliver prompter and better care.
Conclusion
Interoperability is a key factor in improving patient outcomes, care coordination, and avoiding medical errors. As HIEs continue to evolve, achieving interoperability will be critical to their success. Initiatives like those mentioned above showcase the significant impacts that interoperability can have on healthcare’s efficiency and the patient experience. It’s up to both the healthcare industry and technology providers to jump on board and embrace the potential improvements that interoperability can bring.
