Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2023 Feb 24:11:e43848.
doi: 10.2196/43848.

Perspectives on Challenges and Opportunities for Interoperability: Findings From Key Informant Interviews With Stakeholders in Ohio

Affiliations

Perspectives on Challenges and Opportunities for Interoperability: Findings From Key Informant Interviews With Stakeholders in Ohio

Daniel M Walker et al. JMIR Med Inform. .

Abstract

Background: Interoperability-the exchange and integration of data across the health care system-remains a challenge despite ongoing policy efforts aimed at promoting interoperability.

Objective: This study aimed to identify current challenges and opportunities to advancing interoperability across stakeholders.

Methods: Primary data were collected through qualitative, semistructured interviews with stakeholders (n=24) in Ohio from July to October 2021. Interviewees were sampled using a stratified purposive sample of key informants from 4 representative groups as follows: acute care and children's hospital leaders, primary care providers, behavioral health providers, and regional health information exchange networks. Interviews focused on key informant perspectives on electronic health record implementation, the alignment of public policy with organizational strategy, interoperability implementation challenges, and opportunities for health information technology. The interviews were transcribed verbatim followed by rigorous qualitative analysis using directed content analysis.

Results: The findings illuminate themes related to challenges and opportunities for interoperability that align with technological (ie, implementation challenges, mismatches in interoperability capabilities across stakeholders, and opportunities to leverage new technology and integrate social determinants of health data), organizational (ie, facilitators of interoperability and strategic alignment of participation in value-based payment programs with interoperability), and environmental (ie, policy) domains.

Conclusions: Interoperability, although technically feasible for most providers, remains challenging for technological, organizational, and environmental reasons. Our findings suggest that the incorporation of end user considerations into health information technology development, implementation, policy, and standard deployment may support interoperability advancement.

Keywords: electronic health record; health information exchange; health information technology; interoperability; usability.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None declared.

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Akhlaq A, Sheikh A, Pagliari C. Defining health information exchange: scoping review of published definitions. J Innov Health Inform. 2017 Jan 25;23(4):838. doi: 10.14236/jhi.v23i4.838. https://informatics.bmj.com/lookup/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=28346130 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Fridsma D. Interoperability vs health information exchange: setting the record straight. Health IT Buzz. 2013. Jan 9, [2022-04-29]. https://tinyurl.com/jefef6mm .
    1. Bates DW, Samal L. Interoperability: what is it, how can we make it work for clinicians, and how should we measure it in the future? Health Serv Res. 2018 Oct;53(5):3270–7. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12852. https://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/29527678 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Buntin MB, Jain SH, Blumenthal D. Health information technology: laying the infrastructure for national health reform. Health Aff (Millwood) 2010 Jun;29(6):1214–9. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0503.29/6/1214 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Williams C, Mostashari F, Mertz K, Hogin E, Atwal P. From the office of the National Coordinator: the strategy for advancing the exchange of health information. Health Aff (Millwood) 2012 Mar;31(3):527–36. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2011.1314.31/3/527 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources