"Interoperability without decentralization will only expose us to another corporate corruption, i.e., Big Data monopoly" — Adam Tabriz, MD.
Our Healthcare Needs A Scalable Interconnected Infrastructure, Not Merely Interoperability
Being Able To Exchange Data Is Okay If It Is Widespread And Secure, But Interconnectedness Is Scalable.
In recent decades, it has also become particularly vital for innovations to work together in the face of increasing global interdependence from a socioeconomic and political standpoint. The latter concept we currently know as "Interoperability" originally referred to information technology and the exchange of information between two systems. However, today the notion of making technologies interoperable reaches beyond its domain of origin into other realms by taking up the broader definition that includes social, political, and organizational elements. Furthermore, interoperability is still yet to escape its societal engineering disruption.
Interoperability in healthcare is suffering its version of uncertain semanticism. However, overall, healthcare can benefit from interoperability.
Interoperability, at least as it seems for the healthcare domain, is still a technical term. Some have divided it into four categories:
- Foundational interoperability generally pertains to simple data exchange between two systems.
- Structural interoperability also shares data format.
- Semantic interoperability goes another level deep by covering data handling and usage.
- Organizational interoperability refers to the kind of interoperable system through semantic interoperability encompassing detailed implementation, management, and legal procedures to turn the idea into a real solution.
Interoperability helps reduce healthcare costs by eliminating redundancies, like duplicate lab tests, standardizing medical terminologies, and reducing errors.
Interoperability Doesn't Necessarily Mean True Interconnectivity.
As much as healthcare needs interoperability, so needs system interconnectedness. That is the state of healthcare within which all stakeholders, including patients and physicians, interconnect, work together, and collaborate. That stands for the interconnectedness of the whole nine yards.
Interconnectedness is the essence of a personalized healthcare scheme. It is how we can engage patients in their care and reduce the physician's administrative burden while effectively addressing the social determinants of health.
Indeed, for many healthcare leaders, interconnectedness and interoperability may sound the same. But, to the contrary, they are not!
Data exchange, in any shape or form and to any depth, is raw and technical. Yet, It fails to embrace the picture that, in addition to data sharing, exchanging ideas and creating options through interconnection is vital for more promising healthcare delivery.
True interconnectivity maintains and nurtures human collaboration and contribution. Yet interoperability, even in the face of being used by more sophisticated technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Internet of Bodies (IoB), and Artificial Intelligence (AI), does not entail a fully collaborative environment.
Monopoly Of Interoperability Is Creating Resistance To Become Collaborative
Unfortunately, we live in an era of heightened monopoly, in a territory where healthcare is neither unfamiliar. It is not peculiar for large corporations to share data through what I like to call "selective Interoperability."
The cartelized healthcare system interoperability, confirmed by some reports, has contributed to the emergence of new data security risks.
Crapshoots like the new company can potentially embezzle public data with the excuse of helping them move from general service to a new competitor. But, we must keep in mind that interoperability also has particular benefits.
Since the shared data is also available at different locations, one can quickly move from one company to another, even though there are not too many options from which the user can choose.
Interoperability is highly monopoly-prone as it is not necessarily scalable enough merely because it creates selective interdependence and mutual beneficiaries. It is subject to resistance to connect without preconditions, prejudice, and fiscal incentive.
Interconnectedness without interdependence is a transparent, collaborative, and interactive system.
In a modern sense, true interconnectivity supports a hybrid interaction state that operates in parallel. Meaning, that irrespective of whether the person is attending to healthcare undertakings in person or remotely over a virtual encounter, they can still collaborate and exchange data without risking the indiscriminate flow of private information.
Let us finalize our thought with two scenarios:
- Two companies store all your health data in their central servers. They share all the data without your knowledge, the patient, and the authentic owner of your health information.
- You are in control of your data at company A. You can share your data created by company A with Company B and other companies with a click of a button without going through the laborious process of companies requesting your file behind the facility walls. So, You can!- While you voluntarily and discreetly share your data, you still collaborate with both companies. That is as if they can fully collaborate to deliver top-notch care for you without ordering redundant tests or repeating tasks you have already handled.
Being able to exchange and share data with others on your terms in a fully transparent network is ideal. It eliminates monopoly and puts individuals in control of their health information. Through interconnectedness, individuals have unlimited options to share, are Secure, and are scalable.