Health Information Exchanges Boost Interoperability in COVID-19

Health information exchange (HIE) and interoperability are problems that run rampant throughout the healthcare industry. This issue is especially apparent during a crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the overcrowding of hospitals and patients being forced into unfamiliar health facilities, the need for a strong health data exchange is key. “The pandemic has shattered our common beliefs about the type and scope of health information exchange,” Niam Yaraghi, a fellow in governance studies at the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings Institution, wrote in an op-ed. “It has shown us that the definition of health data should no longer be limited to medical data of patients and instead should encompass a much wider variety of data types from individuals’ online and offline activity. Moreover, the pandemic has proven that healthcare is not local.” Local HIEs are aiming to alleviate that burden by making patient data more accessible across their respective states and for remote workers, as well as loosening the requirements for both providers and patients