Why is interoperability important in healthcare?

Interoperability is crucial in healthcare because it ensures effective communication and data exchange between different health information systems. When systems are interoperable, they can share data seamlessly, allowing healthcare providers to access complete patient information irrespective of where the data originated. This capability promotes coordinated care, minimizes errors, and enhances the overall efficiency of healthcare delivery.

For instance, when a patient visits a new provider, an interoperable system enables the existing medical history and current medications to be quickly retrieved, leading to informed decision-making and better health outcomes. Additionally, interoperability supports clinical decision support tools, where data from multiple sources can be analyzed for improved patient care.

While enhancing the quality of patient care is a significant outcome of interoperability, its primary function is facilitating communication and data exchange, which underpins other benefits. It is not solely about administrative efficiency or focused only on specific aspects of patient care, but rather it plays a holistic role in the healthcare ecosystem by ensuring that all pertinent information is accessible when and where it's needed.