Question

This chapter and assignment further explore standards for interoperability. The HIMSS definition of interoperability states, “The ability of two or more systems or components to exchange information and to use the information that has been exchanged.” HIM professionals often are the subject matter experts when a question about standards arises and need to help guide the IT analysts and workers at their organization. An example from a recent conference I attended: “The IT professionals will say, we can make that happen, but it is the HIM professionals that have to caution them to slow down and think through the consequences, i.e., explain to the IT professionals why it may not be logical or practical to proceed.”

Instructions

Please answer the following questions on the discussion board and then respond to two of your classmates’ postings. Responses should be approximately 250 words for this assignment. A rubric is included for guidance on all discussion board postings.

1. Identify what standards and regulations must be considered when promoting interoperability (organization-to-organization versus a merger and acquisition).
2. Are there some standards that are imperative? Are there some that are priorities over others?
3. Are there any standards are that are not necessary?

Answer 1

1. The standards and regulations which must be considered when promoting interoperability are:

• HL7’s Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) standard
  • This standard was drafted with an objective of giving the privilege to patients to connect any application of their choice to their overall health data
• International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 215
  • This standard facilitates the use of health data across various systems
• Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE)
  • This standard lays the terms and conditions for integrating computer system in health care organization

2. The standards are quite imperative as they will facilitate the interoperability of health data across systems. All the standards are alike and cannot be prioritized over one another. However, FHIR is the most popular standard and has been embraced by various health care providers.

3. In my views, all the standards are quite important as each is based on a specific factor promoting interoperability. If either of them gets eliminated, then a major factor affecting interoperability gets hampered. Hence all the standards must be maintained.