How health data interoperability benefits patient care

Improved care coordination

As rates of chronic disease continue to climb across the country, patients are seeing a wider array of providers, underscoring the need for interoperable health information exchange (HIE).

Interoperability networks such as HIEs allow providers to access up-to-date information from various members of a patient's care team for clinical decision support. This can help improve treatment planning and ensure care coordination, especially between care transitions.

For instance, when a patient is discharged from the hospital, an HIE network can electronically transfer discharge summaries, medication lists and follow-up instructions to the patient's care team. This minimizes the chance of errors, such as missed follow-ups or medication conflicts, helping patients adhere to treatment plans for optimal outcomes.

Better patient safety

Interoperability also plays a significant role in improving patient safety. Access to a patient's longitudinal medical history, including allergies, medications and prior diagnoses, helps mitigate adverse drug interactions and clinical errors.

For instance, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association found that HIE participation can identify high-risk medication use that clinicians may not have detected without clinical data exchange.

Interoperability can also reduce diagnostic delays. A specialist reviewing a patient's medical records from another provider can instantly access test results and imaging studies, allowing specialists to diagnose and treat patients in a timely manner. This reduces risks associated with delayed treatment.

Enhanced patient experience

Interoperability's benefits for the patient experience are also significant. When providers have access to longitudinal health records, patients don't have to provide their medical history to each provider they see.

This not only saves time during patient visits but also reduces the risk of errors or omissions that can occur when providers ask patients to recall detailed medical information.

What's more, health data interoperability can prevent duplicate testing, saving patients from the financial burden and potential risks associated with unnecessary procedures.

For instance, if a patient's diagnostic imaging results are accessible across healthcare providers, a new doctor or specialist can review the existing scans instead of ordering additional tests. This is particularly beneficial for patients who may experience anxiety about invasive procedures or who face financial challenges.

Faster emergency care

Real-time data exchange is crucial in emergency care, where every second counts. Interoperability empowers providers with instant access to critical patient information for timely and accurate clinical decision support when it matters most.

A 2024 study found that access to outside health data is associated with a reduced risk of code blue events in the emergency department. In patients with a higher level of acuity in the ED, the presence of outside health data is correlated with a 34% to 63% reduced risk of a code blue event, depending on the patient's age.

Moreover, interoperability can enhance coordination between emergency medical services (EMS) and ED teams.

For example, Michigan's state-designated HIE has launched a project that enables real-time health data exchange between EMS and hospitals. Data collected by EMS -- such as vital signs and treatments administered -- can be seamlessly sent to the ED to streamline patient intake and facilitate faster decision-making.

Empowered patients

Interoperability also plays a key role in empowering patients by fostering patient engagement. Patient portal applications, which integrate real-time data from EHRs, give individuals access to vital health information such as clinical notes, lab results and immunization records.

Research highlights the positive impact of patient portals on patient engagement. For instance, a study published in The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society revealed that access to clinical notes may lead to greater patient engagement and medication adherence for older patients with chronic conditions.

Older adults with two or more chronic conditions reported that having access to their clinical notes helped them better understand and remember their care plans, feel more in control of their medications and adhere to treatment recommendations.

Health data interoperability is more than just a technical feat; it is a critical aspect of patient-centered care. By breaking down data silos, interoperability allows providers to deliver coordinated, safer and more efficient care.

From enhancing care coordination and improving patient safety to streamlining emergency care management, interoperability equips providers and patients with critical health data when and where they need it to deliver optimal patient outcomes.

Hannah Nelson has been covering news related to health information technology and health data interoperability since 2020.