What You Should Know:
– A new report by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) examines the current state of electronic health information exchange among hospitals in the United States. The findings reveal progress in interoperability but also highlight areas where improvement is needed.
– In addition, this brief describes the breadth of electronic information exchange between hospitals and other providers across the care continuum and focuses on how often clinicians in these hospitals routinely use this information at the point of care.
Key Takeaways
- Increased Interoperability: The percentage of hospitals routinely engaging in all four domains of interoperable exchange (send, receive, find, and integrate) has grown significantly since 2018, rising from 28% to 43% in 2023.
- Focus on Routine Exchange: While most hospitals send health information electronically, only about three-quarters integrate the information they receive into their electronic health records (EHRs). The report emphasizes the importance of moving beyond “sometimes” exchange to “routine” exchange for optimal patient care.
- Resource Disparity: Larger, urban, and system-affiliated hospitals are more likely to engage in routine interoperable exchange compared to smaller, rural, and independent hospitals. This highlights the need for targeted efforts to support resource-limited facilities.
- Data Availability at Point of Care: Hospitals that routinely exchange data have higher rates of clinician access and use of patient information from external providers at the point of care. This underscores the link between interoperability and improved care decisions.
- Limited Exchange with Certain Providers: Despite progress, relatively few hospitals reported exchanging electronic summaries of care with most long-term post-acute care (LTPAC) and behavioral health providers. This may reflect limitations in these providers’ data exchange capabilities.
The Road Ahead
The report suggests several key areas for future focus:
- Encouraging Widespread Routine Exchange: Continued efforts are needed to promote a shift from “sometimes” to “routine” interoperable exchange across all healthcare settings.
- Addressing Disparities: Initiatives should be implemented to bridge the gap in interoperability capabilities between different hospital types.
- Expanding Data Exchange: Efforts are needed to improve data exchange with LTPAC and behavioral health providers to ensure a more comprehensive view of patient care.
While hospitals have made significant progress in interoperable data sharing, further work is necessary to achieve nationwide, routine exchange across the entire healthcare continuum. By focusing on these key areas, stakeholders can ensure that all patients benefit from the improved care coordination and decision-making enabled by seamless data exchange.