Raising the Bar on Interoperability – A Decade of Data Show that “Sometimes” Isn’t Good Enough

Since 2014, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has tracked the progress of hospital and physician interoperability in the U.S., focusing on the electronic exchange of patient health information across four domains: finding, sending, receiving, and integrating. Significant improvements have been observed, with 70% of hospitals reporting engagement in all domains by 2023, up from 23% in 2014. However, ONC is now shifting to a more rigorous definition of interoperability that emphasizes routine data exchange, revealing deeper insights into how consistently hospitals and physicians can access and utilize critical health information. Future efforts aim to achieve widespread, routine, and high-value interoperability to enhance patient care quality and continuity across the healthcare system.

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