The efficient and timely exchange of health care information plays an important role in improving the quality of care and reducing costly or harmful errors and unnecessary costs. And interoperability is a vital piece of that puzzle. Interoperability means open information exchange across technology systems. In health care that means the ability to share relevant portions of a patient's medical record with providers at various points of the care continuum. Although challenges to cross-platform integration persist, the seamless and secure exchange of health information will ultimately result in safer, less duplicative, and more evidence-based diagnoses and treatment.
Issue brief: Uncovering interoperability's meaning and potential
The ability to quickly and efficiently share relevant portions of a patient's medical record through technology information exchange, or interoperability, will lead to safer, better care. When electronic health records are shared with all stakeholders, the problems of duplicated tests and errors such as harmful drug interactions can be avoided and providers can tailor care to support patients' needs. The challenge is integrating electronic health record (EHR) technologies with other providers, because most solutions in place today are not designed to share information broadly. Read the issue brief to learn what interoperability means in the health care context.
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Article: Stakeholders unite around interoperability
The open exchange of information is of utmost importance in health care, where errors from lack of information can cost lives. Today, physicians and hospitals are working hard to adopt and implement electronic medical record (EMR) systems with broader reach, but significant barriers exist to making relevant patient data available to relevant care givers. To close the gap on interoperability, stakeholders need to agree on standards and open health IT systems. Read Open Circuit in Ignite's 2012 spring issue to discover what's being done to close those gaps, and where opportunities for true interoperability lie.
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Expert Q&A: The current state and future path of interoperability
As the holy grail of the health care industry, the concept of interoperability is always slightly out of reach. Join Dan Kinsella, senior vice president of accountable care solutions at OptumInsight, as he talks about milestones reached, barriers to widespread interoperability, and the potential and limitations of health information exchanges (HIEs). While Kinsella predicts the concept of a true national network is many years away, several integrated health networks are in the process of figuring out what capabilities will make the most difference to better, more connected care delivery and what technologies can best enable those goals. Visit the Ignite website to learn more.
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Survey: Hospital adoption trends for health information technology
Findings from an Optum Institute for Sustainable Health survey show interoperability remains elusive for many hospitals. Whilst 87 percent have EMR systems in place and a large percentage of those have met the government's meaningful use criteria, most point to technology gaps that limit their ability to support effective, efficient coordinated care. Read the survey to learn more and discover what the results mean as well as future investment plans of responding hospitals.
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Provider insights
"The key is to get everybody to agree to talk to each other, to speak the same language, and exchange the key information elements on a patient's medical history...in a safe way."
—Justin Chang, M.D.
Chief of emergency services, Kaiser Permanente, Colorado, and medical director, Exempla St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Department
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