The advancement of healthcare allows for the manipulation, security and utilization of large amounts of data on a daily basis. Healthcare facilities face the challenge of securing and integrating this data for better health outcomes.

Since health systems receive large amounts of patient data daily, this Big Data is at a huge risk for security and cyber breaches. Additionally, large amounts of data can also be difficult to share across other health systems for the purpose of patient case transfer, or case discussion.

Interoperability, is an effective technological concept that can help mitigate this consequence, by helping ensure a secure and easy transfer of data across other health system. However, interoperability can often be misunderstood. Therefore, in order to explore the benefits of interoperability, let’s first understand its function.

What is Interoperability?

Simply put, interoperability is the ability of a computer software to integrate, secure and exchange information across other computer software, without running the risk of cyber breaches.

Without interoperability, healthcare professionals will be unable to discuss patient health records efficiently, leading to a poorer understanding of patient health condition, and poorer effectivity of treatment.

Electronic Health Records are sensitive and confidential information and therefore need to be protected at all costs. Statistics reveal that healthcare organizations experienced an average of 1463 cyberattacks per week in 2022. Therefore, protecting this information is highly crucial.

There are several ways in which interoperability can help improve patient and provider experiences:

No repetitive questioning

A specifically inconvenient outcome of redundant practice and hospital protocols in repetitive questioning. When patient data is not automatically entered into the practice system, patients are required to fill lengthy forms that require answers to similar questions, that not only waste time, but also reduce patient engagement.

Ultimately, patients are less likely to visit practices and healthcare facilities that require lengthy processes and patient data entry.

Interoperability allows patients to skip the process of filling lengthy forms practically at the hospital, and easily enter data, as well as schedule appointments, from the comfort of their own home.

Once data is already fed into the system, patients will no longer need to revisit on-site questioning at the time of appointment.

No need to re-enter data in software

Additionally, patients will no longer need to interview patients at the front desk, and manually enter data. This can save a patient’s front desk time, whilst also ensuring practice staff no longer need to perform repetitive practice tasks, that can often be tiresome and over-bearing.

Interoperability can help improve practice strategy by reducing redundancy and repetitiveness and ensuring seamlessness in operations.

Efficient data exchange

The efficiency and security of data exchange can help both patient and providers, as well as researchers in improving health outcomes.

While providers maintain strong contact with international physicians and medical specialists for detailed case discussions and customized treatment plans, patients can receive the benefits of this unbroken interaction, and receive optimum healthcare and medical intervention in hospitals and healthcare facilities alike.

Additionally, researches can access and exchange this data for the purpose of research, to improve health outcomes and track treatment efficiencies.

Ensures Patient Privacy and Confidentiality

Interoperability prioritizes the security of transfer between organizations and health systems across both large and small geographical distances. Essentially, for better patient care, sharing clinical documentation is essential to allow premium quality care delivery. However, substantial amounts of bid data in healthcare can be subject to cyber breaches.

Sources identify that the healthcare sector accounts for 20% of all publicly reported cyber breaches. Additionally, about 202 cyber breaches were recorded in the healthcare sector in 2022.

Interoperable systems ensure data communication between health systems is secure and immune to cyber-attacks. Since patient information is highly confidential, interoperability can be a valuable asset for healthcare organizations who wish to avoid costly lawsuits due to cyber threat.

Data accuracy

Accurate data exchange ensures a reduction in possibility of medical errors due to unreliable data exchange. If incomplete or incorrect data is transferred to another organization or health system, errors is diagnosis and consequent treatment planning can be highly detrimental for the patient, as well as the organization.

Interoperability ensures patients data is transferred as is, allowing doctors and physicians to optimize clinical workflows to provide efficient healthcare to patients, without compromising the data transfer protocols.

Conclusion

Interoperability, therefore, is a phenomenon that is focused on initiating and maintaining a secure and seamless connectivity between different healthcare organizations. Companies such CareCloud offer robust Interoperability solutions that can ensure beneficial health outcomes and improved patient experience for both providers, patients, and researchers alike.

Integrating interoperable systems can boost clinical and administrative workflows for a practice to streamline patient care in a more collectively efficient manner.