New interoperability solutions provide the means to unify patient data without overwhelming clinical staff in the process.
The adoption of health information technology, particularly EHR systems, has set the stage for improved care coordination. However, many providers struggle with integrating external health data into their local systems, leading to underutilization of potentially valuable information. Achieving interoperability requires standardizing and integrating data from various sources to create a unified patient record, which aids effective clinical decision-making without burdening clinicians.
Margo Jackson and Ali Thole from Oracle Cerner emphasize the need for a standard "clinical longitudinal view" and seamless integration of external data into existing systems. They highlight that data standardization is critical yet still problematic across proprietary systems. Overcoming these challenges would improve patient care by making complete data accessible at the point of care.
Further efforts are needed to refine data workflows, ensuring clinicians receive clear, deduplicated information from trusted sources. Future interoperability solutions should focus on improving user experiences by allowing customization of these sources, enhancing data trust and reducing the reconciliation burden for providers. Ultimately, refining data standardization and integrity will facilitate efficient data flow, supporting better clinical decision-making and patient outcomes.