What is interoperability?
What exactly is interoperability? Let’s discuss.
Interoperability definition
Interoperability is the technique through which different health information systems (irrespective of who the provider is) work in tandem and with each other to share patient data seamlessly across all networks, without any hindrances or boundaries.
This way, any healthcare professional from anywhere in the world can access the patient’s records and provide care and treatment without delay. Though it may sound all rosy and good, there are some barriers to achieving interoperability. In this article, we will be talking about those barriers and how to overcome them.
Before actually getting into the barriers, it is worth understanding interoperability and the different levels in interoperability first to see how barriers can actually arise.
1. Data interoperability by level
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There are three levels of interoperability: Structural, Foundational, and Semantic. Each of these levels have their capabilities and uses in the modern healthcare industry. Hospitals and clinics assume different levels of interoperability depending on the information, the data to be shared, and the patient’s condition.
2. Data deployment depending on the deployment type
There are two kinds of interoperability based on the deployment category: cloud-based deployment and on-premise interoperability. Through cloud-based interoperability, the users can utilize the same management tools and software with a number of other cloud computing platforms and providers.
On-premise interoperability is mainly used by large hospitals when they have huge sets of data and they share it with different departments of the hospital. This way, the doctors can avail information about the patient without having anyone providing them physically. On-premise interoperability can definitely save a lot of time and energy, and provide better deliverance.
3. Data on an application level
Data interoperability on the basis of the application here means collecting and sharing data while a diagnosis is made. Apart from EHR software, clinicians have begun to use technologically upgraded healthcare interoperability software that would considerably reduce errors while the diagnosis is made. Early diagnosis can reduce mortality rates. A huge repository of data is thus being disseminated at the diagnosis stage so they can be shared as people get diagnosed at the initial stage.
Source: G2
