When it comes to large health systems, one of the biggest challenges is coordinating care amongst various disparate locations. Especially in the absence of a unifying EHR instance to connect ancillary and core healthcare providers, understanding where a patient is in the care continuum and how to minimize friction as the acutely and chronically ill move between and within treatment facilities is vital. Chasing activity from ED to rehab, PCP to surgical center, ambulatory clinic to ambulance, it gets confusing and messy fast. In the realm of healthcare IT solutions, interoperability continues to be one of the most promising avenues for addressing these challenges. In terms of cost savings and risk management, improving communication of health conditions and streamlining the flow of health information between providers is paramount. Interoperability initiatives and technologies are at the forefront of the promising steps toward realizing true population management and quality care.
