The healthcare industry is evolving fast, and technological advancements have revolutionized how healthcare providers deliver care. One of the most significant advantages over the years is the development of healthcare interoperability.
It refers to the ability of different healthcare systems and devices to use or exchange patient data efficiently. Interoperability also has the potential to enhance clinical decision-making processes, improve patient care, and reduce healthcare costs. However, the major challenge is achieving interoperability while maintaining patient security and data privacy.
This article discusses the importance of healthcare interoperability and the requirement for patient data security and privacy. It will also explore the challenges of achieving interoperability as healthcare organizations try to maintain patient data privacy.
The Importance of Interoperability in Healthcare
Healthcare interoperability can improve patient care by enabling healthcare providers to access and exchange patient data securely. It further benefits patients because it can result in enhanced personalized care and efficient clinical outcomes.
It can also reduce the requirement of duplicate procedures and testing, reducing healthcare costs. In contrast, interoperability can benefit healthcare providers by improving the efficiency of care delivery and reducing administrative burdens.
Source: Freepik
Despite the potential benefits of interoperability, the progress of adopting this practice in healthcare has been rather sluggish. The primary reason is limited standardized data exchange approaches and healthcare data fragmentation across several systems. Moreover, the cost of interoperability system implementation and concerns about patient data privacy and security are also barriers to its adoption.
The Need for Patient Data Privacy and Security
Patient data privacy and security are among the necessary components associated with healthcare. Patients have the right to expect their health information to be kept secure and private.
Such expectation is backed by General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Health Insurance Profitability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). These regulations provide the required guidelines for collecting, sharing, or storing patient data securely.
The Challenges in Achieving Interoperability While Maintaining Patient Data Privacy
A few barriers to achieving healthcare interoperability while maintaining patient data privacy include the following.
- Fragmented Data: Healthcare data is often fragmented across different systems, making it difficult to access and exchange.
- Lack of Standardization: Different healthcare systems and devices use different data standards, making it challenging to exchange data.
- Data Security Concerns: Healthcare organizations must exchange patient data securely to prevent data breaches and protect patient privacy.
- Cost: Implementing interoperability systems can be costly, and healthcare organizations may hesitate to invest in them without clear benefits.
- Regulatory Compliance: Healthcare organizations must comply with regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR, which can make sharing patient data across systems and organizations challenging.
These challenges can impact patient care by hindering healthcare providers’ ability to access and exchange critical patient information.
The Role of SMART on FHIR in Achieving Interoperability and Patient Data Privacy
SMART (Substitutable Medical Apps, Reusable Technologies) on FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) is a standard that allows third-party applications to access and exchange healthcare data securely. The standard addresses healthcare interoperability challenges while maintaining patient data privacy by enabling secure and standardized data exchange.
It enables healthcare providers to access and exchange patient data seamlessly, regardless of the healthcare system or device used to store the data. It also ensures that patient data is exchanged securely and complies with HIPAA and GDPR.
The features of SMART on FHIR that enable interoperability while protecting patient data privacy include:
- Authorization and Authentication: The standard uses OAuth2.0 authorization and authentication to ensure that only authorized individuals can access patient data.
- Standardized Data Exchange: SMART uses standardized data exchange formats, making it easier for healthcare providers to access and exchange patient data across different systems and devices.
- Granular Data Access Control: The standard enables granular data access control, allowing healthcare providers to control who has access to patient data and what data they can access.
- Patient Consent: It also allows patients to grant access to their data through consent management.
Use Cases for SMART on FHIR
SMART has been used in various healthcare settings to improve healthcare interoperability while maintaining patient data privacy. Here are some examples:
- Mobile Health Applications: The standard has been used to develop mobile health applications that enable patients to access and manage their health data from their smartphones securely.
- Clinical Decision Support: The standard has helped develop clinical decision support tools that enable healthcare providers to access patient data quickly and securely, leading to more accurate diagnoses and treatments.
- Patient Portals: The standard has been used to develop portals that let patients access their health data and communicate with their healthcare providers.
- Remote Monitoring: SMART has been used to develop remote monitoring systems that enable healthcare providers to get secure access to patient data in real time, leading to better care coordination and patient outcomes.
Overcoming Barriers to Achieving Interoperability While Maintaining Patient Data Privacy
To overcome the barriers to achieving healthcare interoperability while maintaining patient data privacy, healthcare providers can take the following steps:
- Adopt Standardized Approaches to Data Exchange: Healthcare providers can adopt standardized approaches to data exchange to enable secure and standardized data exchange.
- Ensure Regulatory Compliance: Healthcare providers must ensure that they comply with regulations such as HIPAA and GDPR when exchanging patient data across different systems and devices.
- Invest in Interoperability Systems: Healthcare providers and organizations can work together to achieve healthcare interoperability while protecting patient data privacy by following best practices such as:
- Adhering to Data Privacy and Security Regulations: Healthcare organizations must comply with HIPAA and GDPR when sharing patient data. It’s important to ensure that all data-sharing practices comply with these regulations.
Industry Trends and Statistics
The healthcare industry has set a milestone in achieving interoperability and improving patient data privacy. According to an EHR Intelligence report, the percentage of hospitals that reported sending and receiving an electronic summary of care records increased from 10% in 2013 to 70% in 2019. Additionally, FHIR-based APIs have increased significantly in recent years, with more healthcare organizations adopting this standard for data exchange.
Several companies have successfully implemented healthcare interoperability and SMART on FHIR while maintaining patient data privacy. For example, the Cleveland Clinic has implemented a system that uses this standard to enable physicians to access patient data from multiple sources in one place.
This system has led to improved clinical decision-making and reduced administrative burdens. Another example is the Hennepin Health system in Minnesota, which uses SMART on FHIR to exchange patient data securely across different healthcare organizations. This system has led to reduced healthcare costs and improved patient outcomes.
Conclusion
Healthcare interoperability can improve patient care, enhance clinical decision-making, and reduce healthcare costs. However, achieving interoperability while maintaining patient data privacy and security is a major industry challenge.
SMART on FHIR is a solution that addresses these challenges by enabling interoperability while protecting patient data privacy. By following best practices and working together, healthcare providers can achieve interoperability while prioritizing patient data privacy and security.
