Barriers to Data Exchange in Healthcare

Justina UgwuCollege of Health Professions (COHP) 300

(Health Information Systems)

Project Focus

This project explores data exchange, its benefits and

focuses on different problems affecting successful data

exchange among healthcare providers.

Connection to Course• For better understanding of course topic under data

management and interoperability.

• A component needed for healthcare professionals’ education.

Topic Importance to Healthcare• It is essential that healthcare providers recognized problems

associated to exchange of health information.

• Healthcare providers can strategize on eliminating barriers to exchange of data.

• Healthcare providers can adopt standards to improve interoperability among themselves.

Data Exchange in Healthcare

• The ability to access and share secured health information

among different healthcare providers wherever a patient

seeks care.

Models of Health Exchange in Healthcare• Direct Model: Point-to-point communication with other healthcare

providers

• Query or “Pull” Model: Extract information from any location

• Consumer-Mediated Model: For active participating consumers via:

Secured consumer e-mail

Secured portal through electronic health record (EHR)

Building blocks for Interoperability

Fig. 1: (Gibbs, Gilreath, Kimbrough, & Vila, 2010)

Benefits of Data Exchange

• To maintain affordable healthcare cost

• Improving accuracy of exchanged health information

• Improve the delivery of quality of healthcare and its ancillary

processes

• Ensures quick access, accurate, and secured health information

Barriers to Data Exchange

• Lack of interoperability

• High cost of developing and maintaining interfaces

• Privacy and liability concerns

• Lack of similar standards among HER vendors

• Law Regulations e.g. HIPAA rules on sharing of health

information

Recommendation

• Government intervention for effective interoperability

Conclusion

Data exchange is envisioned to improve delivery of healthcare for

positive health outcomes, but different problems, practices and

regulations hinder the achievement of purpose. To ensure effective

data exchange, collaborative efforts of the government and all entities

involved in the management of patient’s health information is required

to achieve the national goal of interoperability.

References • Empire E-Solutions. (n.d.). Retrieved Nov. 12, 2014, from Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield

• Gibbs, M., Gilreath, H., Kimbrough, M., & Vila, J. (2010). CISCO. Retrieved Nov. 12, 2014, from CISCO: http://www.cisco.com/web/strategy/docs/healthcare/ANewApproachtoHealthcareInteroperablility.pdf

• Gottlieb, L. K., Stone, E. M., Stone, D., Dunbrack, L. A., & Calladine, J. (2005). Regulatory and Policy Barriers to Effective Clinical Data Exchange: Lessons Learned from MedsInfo-ED. Health Affairs, 24(5), 1197-1204.

• Grantham, D., (2013). Confidentiality alternatives for exchanging electronic medical records take shape: progress is accelerating, though large-scale solutions appear years away. Behavioral Healthcare, 33(3), 37.

• McCann, E., (2012, October 5). HealthcareIT News. Retrieved from HealthcareIT News: