>> How Is Interoperability Helping The Efforts on Covid Eradication?
Since the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020, the threat has mutated itself into various variants that possibly might grow into the future as well. The symptoms that used to be dead giveaways for the virus have now become more and more like the common flu and other diseases.
Issues with managing patient health and data information could not only lead to a public health crisis but inhibit counter efforts against the pandemic.
One of the key issues in combating the pandemic is data management and information sharing collection and sharing. That’s where interoperability comes in; with various platforms and strategies to share and utilize data, frontline healthcare workers and the researchers behind them will have better chances of Covid eradication.
Why is interoperability important during the pandemic?
Interoperability is essential in managing the covid pandemic because the one thing we need on our side is time. When patients come into healthcare centers, a lot of time is spent gathering their medical records, conducting duplicative tests, and coordinating with other professionals they are seeing. Furthermore, it is harder to keep track of their information during and after the treatment.
Impact on Patient Health Data and Monitoring
With interoperability practices and technology, patient info would be readily available; their medical history would be easier to access; hence any complications in their condition would be identified faster. Moreover, the vaccine and medicines they were given, alongside any future complications after getting better, can be well recorded.
Impact on Covid Research and Counteraction Plans
This would be helpful not only for those providing healthcare but for researchers who are trying to understand the virus, its variants, and trends. Similarly, interoperability standards are the key to an effective and well-documented vaccination drive. From data collection to healthcare services, interoperability can overcome many barriers in covid eradication.
Issues To Implementing Interoperability in Covid Eradication
Although it was previously discussed that interoperability could potentially aid in buying both researchers and frontline workers to manage the pandemic better, some issues prevent this reality from materializing.
The first issue is that making interoperability platforms could take time, and there’s a lot of things that go into the app and interface development. Similarly, tracking systems and criteria for covid data information could be different from regular healthcare data. A lot of research needs to go into it, which takes time. Secondly, political hindrances such as making the technology mandatory for all healthcare providers, their reluctance, and population reservations data sharing could also become an issue. In places where protests against the vaccine are common, people may not be very complacent.
Ways To Improve Interoperability in The Fight Against The Pandemic
To improve the interoperability standards in the fight against Covid, two fundamental realities need to be kept in mind:
Short-term projects and solutions to improve interoperability should be the priority. Although long-term projects can be worked on as well, the main goal is to find quick solutions to buy time to create long-term ones.
Instead of rebuilding software and EHR systems, building upon and improving existing ones is essential. The goal should be to optimize existing technology to fit into the covid eradication drive instead of spending time to make innovations.
Once these realities are kept in mind, finding quicker solutions will be easier. Once the threat has been handled and reduced considerably, long-term solutions for public healthcare and protection against pandemics can be looked into. This will also help upgrade the existing structures in the face of variants.
Ending Note
Efforts to include interoperability in the Covid eradication measures are already underway, and interoperability standards, such as FHIR-HL7, are being used to some extent.
However, with proper planning and research, interoperability will play a more significant role in combatting the pandemic, which will ensure public health and healthcare worker safety. Additionally, It will revolutionize our ability to handle pandemics in the future.
DevScripts Solutions is an IT Consultant Firm Specializing in Interoperability within the Healthcare Arena.
We are a small team solving big interoperability challenges on a daily basis. With our vast knowledge of interoperability we can integrate ourselves as part of your organization just like we are part of your full-time team. We develop a variety of custom interfaces for healthcare organizations such as Healthcare Vendors, HIEs, Health Systems, Hospitals, Medical Practices, Payors and ACOs using Mirth Connect.
We work with businesses in California, Georgia, New York, Florida, Texas and throughout the wider United States.
For more information on our services or to arrange a consultation call please contact us today.
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