Interoperability in healthcare is invaluable in achieving patient care outcomes, driving innovation, and enhancing data sharing across teams and organisations. This guide explores what it is, how it works, and how healthcare institutions can achieve healthcare interoperability through proven tools and best practices.
Jump to Key Sections
1. What Is Interoperability in Healthcare?
2. Why Healthcare Interoperability Matters
3. Four Levels of Interoperability
4. How Interoperability Systems Work in Healthcare
6. Achieving Interoperability: Best Practices
8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is Interoperability in Healthcare?
Interoperability in healthcare refers to the ability of different healthcare systems and applications to access, exchange, and utilise data in a unified and coordinated manner. It is similar to the more general technological principle of interoperability – the ability of independent apps, devices, and systems to connect and communicate with each other – but is focused specifically on the healthcare sector.
Healthcare interoperability has evolved and become increasingly significant over time as the industry has become increasingly digitalised and tech-dependent. In the early days, interoperability projects typically focused on different systems within a single healthcare enterprise, but now projects tend to have a broader scope, bridging the gaps between systems and applications across entire healthcare ecosystems.
Through interoperability in healthcare, providers, institutions, and even patients can access and exchange important health-related data, such as patient records, treatment plans, financial data, test results, and so on. This efficient, uninterrupted flow of information facilitates faster medical responses, improved care, a deeper understanding of patient needs, and more.
Why Healthcare Interoperability Matters
Healthcare interoperability is increasingly essential for efficient and effective modern healthcare organisations. It enables the seamless and rapid exchange of information between providers, partners, and patients, leading to more informed decisions, reduced risk of problematic errors and oversights, and stronger overall care.
This largely comes down to the fact that information is the lifeblood of the healthcare industry. Care cannot be provided, and correct decisions cannot be made without relevant, accurate, and complete data to base them on. Interoperability enables that data to flow seamlessly from system to system and device to device, wherever it is needed. It bridges gaps and forges connections across the medical sector.
Those connections allow the likes of clinics, hospitals, private practices, and individual healthcare professionals to share and access patient records, treatment histories, and other important data. A typical patient will invariably attend various clinics and practices over the course of their life, and interoperability ensures that everywhere they go, their information goes with them.
Without interoperability, healthcare as we know it would be dramatically inferior and more fragmented. Information silos would form, making it more difficult for providers to access and share medical data. This could result in vast amounts of wasted resources through redundant testing, as well as potentially grave errors in diagnosis, prescriptions, and treatment plans.
Core Standards & Technologies Supporting Interoperability
Various national and international standards exist to guide organisations in their attempts to achieve interoperability in healthcare. Examples include:
- Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR): A modern standard designed for rapid and efficient exchange of clinical and administrative data between medical providers. The NHS has adopted FHIR as part of its digital transformation strategy, following the framework while also using FHIR-compliant tools, like Kahootz, to facilitate the flow of healthcare data between different systems, including mobile and cloud-based applications.
- Health Level Seven (HL7): A widely used standard for sharing, accessing, and integrating electronic healthcare information. HL7 focuses not just on interoperability, but security, and is also actively in use across the NHS. It allows for agencies and providers to exchange clinical data in the most secure, efficient, and intuitive ways, reducing the risk of costly or consequential losses along the way.
- Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM): A standard that focuses on the management of medical imaging information, such as X-rays and CT scans.
Many organisations turn to technological tools to enhance their data interoperability in healthcare.
The secure cloud collaboration technology of Kahootz, for example, has served as the foundation for the NHS’s FutureNHS platform, which enables secure knowledge sharing among large numbers of health and social care providers across the United Kingdom.
Boasting more than 200,000 users, the FutureNHS platform has been a game-changing force for interoperability across the UK health industry, connecting hundreds of healthcare providers nationwide.
It has also served as a springboard for important NHS projects and initiatives. For instance, thousands of NHS staff and external professionals used FutureNHS to launch the Getting It Right First Time, or GRIFT, programme to improve clinical practice and patient care outcomes.
Four Levels of Interoperability
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) outlines four tiers of interoperability in healthcare, with organisations encouraged to strive to achieve the highest level possible. Some are easily attainable without major operational changes, while others may demand significant investments in technological aids or restructuring.
Level 1: Foundational
This is the most basic level of healthcare interoperability. It concerns the straightforward transmission of data from one system/device to another, but without tools in place for the interpretation and processing of that data.
Level 2: Structural
At the structural tier, it is possible to send and receive data in various forms, such as text, codes, identifiers, and images, between a range of systems and devices, following a standardised format. This helps providers access, learn from, and contribute to longitudinal patient records.
Level 3: Semantic
At the semantic level, organisations will utilise a common vocabulary when entering data into their health systems, i.e. ICD-10 codes and Logical Observation Identifier Names. This ensures that as data passes between applications and systems, it remains relevant and meaningful.
Level 4: Organisational
The peak of healthcare interoperability – at this level, policies, regulatory compliance, governance systems, and workflows are aligned across healthcare organisations to allow for seamless and secure data exchange.
How Interoperability Systems Work in Healthcare
To prove most effective and useful, healthcare interoperability systems must be built on the foundations of structured data standards and exchange frameworks. Aforementioned standards like FHIR and HL7, combined with data privacy regulations, such as HIPAA and GDPR, provide the rules and core structure, while the following technological components bring the systems to life:
- Centralised Hubs or Workspaces: Many interoperability systems feature centralised online workspaces, accessible by both providers and patients, making the flow of data easier to manage and control, even for beginners.
- Real-Time Data Access: Medical data is dynamic and rapidly evolving, and providers often need the most up-to-date and accurate information about their patients and available treatments. Systems need to be able to deliver real-time data on demand.
- Data Security: Medical data cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands, and organisations must abide by standards such as GDPR. Interoperability systems, therefore, require secure internal communication methods and encryption for data both at rest and in transit.
- Cloud Computing Technology: To achieve true interoperability, data may have to travel between devices and networks that are hundreds of miles apart. Cloud computing is the answer – bridging the physical gaps separating remote teams and organisations.
- Semantic Interoperability: This ensures that all data exchanged across systems is interpreted in a clear and consistent way and is particularly important when sharing patient records and lab test reports.
- Application Programming Interfaces: APIs facilitate the flow of data between completely different and unique systems and apps, which is increasingly important at a time when medical providers now rely on more diverse technological tools.
To achieve interoperability in a relatively simple, intuitive way, organisations should turn to platforms that can provide many of the aforementioned elements, such as Kahootz.
Benefits & Use Cases
| Benefit | Explanation |
| Improved Patient Care | Providers have easier access to up-to-date patient and treatment information. |
| Streamlined Workflows | Interoperability accelerates various daily processes and minimises the chances of errors. |
| Enhanced Reporting | With standardised data exchange. |
| Innovation and Development | Interoperability facilitates the flow of ideas that drive innovations, such as new service development. |
| Reduced Costs | Through streamlined processes and workflows, providers naturally save money and resources. |
Interoperability in healthcare is necessary for healthcare providers to carry out their work to the best of their abilities. It provides access to large amounts of comprehensive patient information and other medical data, making it easier for providers to understand the people they treat and plan the best treatment plans to meet their needs and address their specific health situations.
With complete access to a patient’s medical record, for example, a doctor will have an easier time diagnosing any conditions they might develop, understanding their root causes, and discerning the right course of action. Additionally, they will be less likely to make any costly errors that could lead to wasted time or adverse drug reactions.
Patients, too, can feel empowered through healthcare interoperability. They will have access to their health data, such as past treatment records, test results, and appointment details, thereby taking a more active role in their care. This has the added benefit of easing the burden on administrative staff, which is just one way in which interoperability improves efficiency and saves money and resources. To make this data truly useful, many providers work with a patient portal software development company to create intuitive digital interfaces that patients can easily navigate from any device.
In cases of widespread outbreaks, such as pandemics or the spread of new viruses, for example, interoperability also enables organisations to stay up-to-date and aware of events, issuing appropriate public health reports and recommendations. Additionally, teams from different regions or organisations can collaborate, exchanging information, solving problems, and fostering innovation.
Tackling the Challenges
| Type of Challenge | Explanation |
| Technical | Organisations may lack the technological tools or skills needed to build/use interoperability systems. |
| Organisational | There can be conflicts in cultures, policies, and interests when introducing interoperability. |
| Financial | Providers may struggle to afford the relevant implementation and maintenance costs. |
| Regulatory | Interoperability has to align with the strict regulations imposed on healthcare providers. |
Inter-agency collaboration is a powerful and beneficial force in healthcare and other industries, but it is not always easy to achieve. Organisations have to overcome initial hurdles and on-going challenges to facilitate the safe, effective, and fluid flow of data.
Technical Challenges
Different healthcare organisations may use their specific formats, coding schemes, and terminologies, which might not be universally understood. Additionally, providers may use outdated legacy systems that are ill-equipped for interoperability or have team members who struggle to understand the more technical aspects of setting up and using interoperability systems correctly.
One way to address this is to invest in technological tools that promote interoperability in the most accessible and intuitive ways, thereby easing users into the process.
Organisational Challenges
At an organisational level, providers may encounter clashes between interoperability and their existing policies, workflows, or company culture. A hospital may value its patient data, for example, as a means of retaining patients and not necessarily want to share it with other clinics and practices nationwide.
To address this, organisations should review their policies before transitioning to a more interoperability-focused approach and find a balance between sharing data without compromising their values.
Financial Challenges
There are serious financial costs associated with interoperability. Organisations must consider the cost of interoperable technologies, such as upgrading legacy systems to more modern hardware. In addition, some providers may not necessarily see immediate or even short-term financial gains when prioritising interoperability.
A solution here is to seek out cost-effective technological tools that ease the transition to interoperability, like Kahootz, and to remember that there are often long-term financial rewards that come from exchanging data more freely.
Regulatory Challenges
Lastly, as touched on earlier, regulations like GDPR strictly control how patient data should be handled in a private and secure manner. Organisations need to keep these regulations in mind when considering ways to share their data with others.
Misunderstandings or differing interpretations of the rules can lead to clashes when sharing or requesting information.
Researching and reading relevant regulatory documentation is crucial in developing a comprehensive understanding of what is and is not permitted for safe and compliant data exchange. Investment in secure collaboration tools also mitigates any unwanted risks or doubts when sharing data with others.
Achieving Interoperability: Best Practices
- Embrace open standards, such as FHIR, to make your data more compatible and more readily understood by other systems and providers.
- Invest in proven technological tools that offer the security and intuitive data exchange you need, such as Kahootz, which has already been used to power the FutureNHS platform.
- Keep patient care your top priority – interoperability, ultimately, is about improving care, so make sure to keep that end goal in mind with every big decision you make.
- Start small and scale up your interoperability strategy gradually. If you rush it, you are more likely to encounter costly challenges and disruptions.
- Provide necessary training and support to your staff, as even the best interoperability tools are only as effective as their users.
Key Stakeholders & Roles
A strong stakeholder engagement strategy will also help you embrace interoperability and achieve the best possible outcomes through secure data exchange with other members of the healthcare community. Here is a brief list of key stakeholders and the roles they have to play:
- Patients: Arguably the biggest beneficiaries and top priorities of any interoperability strategy. They will need access to their data to take a more active role in their care.
- Providers: The direct uses of healthcare databases and systems. They need rapid, real-time access to comprehensive medical information to aid in making diagnoses and devising treatment plans.
- Organisations: Hospitals, clinics, and GPs power the entire healthcare industry. They need to be able to exchange data securely while complying with regulations and their policies.
- Governmental and Public Health Agencies: They use and compile anonymised health data to track trends, conduct research, track outbreaks, and develop public health strategies.
While each of these stakeholders has different roles, responsibilities, and end goals, they all must be able to exchange data with one another. Communication and collaboration are the fundamental pillars of interoperability and all the benefits it brings, which, once more, highlights the value of trusted collaborative software, such as Kahootz.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is healthcare interoperability?
Interoperability in healthcare is the ability of data to be exchanged, shared, and interpreted between different devices, systems, and applications across the healthcare industry.
What are the Four Levels of Interoperability in Healthcare?
The four levels of healthcare interoperability, outlined by HIMSS, are Foundational, Structural, Semantic, and Organisational.
What are the main challenges to achieving Healthcare Interoperability?
Some of the main challenges in achieving interoperability include the financial cost of replacing legacy systems and setting up interoperable solutions, training and educating employees on adhering to interoperability best practices, and complying with regulations when exchanging data.
