Interoperability

Three high-profile physician IT leaders offer their takes and advice on the usability of data brought together by interoperability technologies and standards.

The iPhone app enables patients to access data about medications, immunizations, labs and receive notifications.

AMIA CEO Doug Fridsma says healthcare should simplify its approach to data exchange: keeping a laser focus on worthwhile use cases, sharing first and standardizing later, while also taking some cues from the basic APIs that power the World Wide Web.

InterSystems HealthShare VP Don Woodlock explains some recent examples of how customers are putting the technology to work improving pop health outcomes and increasing revenue.

The companies also advise healthcare CIOs on some key interoperability questions to ask any EHR vendor when considering a purchase.

The vendor, one of the first to use the new version of the HL7 standard, is also offering advice for how providers can take advantage of the spec for better interoperability.

The National Coordinator talks 21st Century Cures, information blocking, Apple, consumerism, FHIR, open APIs and new business models he sees emerging amid the "overarching theme of human choice and freedom and dignity."

Case study: The EHR vendor's Happy Together technology enables the health system to incorporate data from patient portals from other healthcare organizations into its MyChart portal.

New HIMSS Media research finds that nearly 75 percent of hospitals are beyond the basic level of interoperability, that best practices for information sharing are emerging and half are gearing up for APIs and FHIR.

FHIR is key to interoperability and better data access, says FHIR product director for HL7 International Grahame Grieve.