How to improve interoperability in healthcare

When data stays locked up, everybody pays the price

Healthcare data interoperability aims to empower a healthcare ecosystem where patient information flows seamlessly across settings, systems, and teams, enabling coordinated and informed care. Yet for many providers and patients, the ability to share and access patient information across different systems and care teams still feels out of reach.

Despite billions invested in health IT, care is often still fragmented in what the industry often considers an “interoperability problem.” Clinical data moves—but the information that matters most often arrives too late, in the wrong format, or buried in PDFs no one has time to read. In short, interoperability means data travels, but it doesn’t always translate into better decisions or better outcomes.

To realize the full value of connected care, health data must be more than shareable. It needs structure, shared standards, and smart integration into clinical workflows. True interoperability healthcare solutions break down the silos, bottlenecks, and blind spots that keep critical insights from reaching the point of care.

Healthcare data interoperability is more than a buzzword

Interoperability is the ability of different health IT systems to exchange and use information—not just move it around but make it useful where and when it’s needed. True interoperability means data travels from point A to point B and arrives in the right format, at the right time, and in the right place to support care.

To achieve that goal, healthcare organizations and their technology partners must go beyond basic connectivity and prioritize three foundational traits:

1. Structured data

Data that’s standardized and coded—not buried in free-text fields or static documents—is essential for clinical decision support, quality measurement, population health, and more. Standards like C-CDA and FHIR enable this kind of data exchange, but not all systems implement them effectively or consistently.

2. Workflow integration

Information should surface naturally within existing clinical workflows—not hide in inboxes, external portals, or yet another tab for providers to check. But integration can’t stop at simply placing the document in front of the clinician. Clinical notes, referrals, or imaging reports can run dozens of pages, and sifting through them in the moment of care can be overwhelming. The next step in true interoperability is delivering parsed, prioritized insights—highlighting critical changes, summarizing key points, and flagging relevant history—so providers can act quickly and confidently. According to a 2025 athenahealth survey, 73% of physicians believe that having the right patient information from their chart at the right time is the most critical factor in simplifying the practice of care.

3. Relevance at the point of care

More data isn’t always better. It can overwhelm clinicians already facing alert fatigue and time constraints. Interoperability should help filter and prioritize the information that’s useful in each clinical moment—whether that’s the latest imaging report, a medication change, or a critical allergy. In the same survey, 95% of physicians said that getting the right clinical data at the right time is very important to them.

While federal efforts like the 21st Century Cures Act are nudging the industry toward greater data sharing, the real motivation is more immediate: empowering providers to deliver care that is more informed, personalized, and timely—because they have the right context at their fingertips. When clinicians can quickly see relevant history, recent test results, or medication changes, they can make decisions with greater confidence, coordinate seamlessly with other care teams, and offer patients a smoother, safer experience.

Does it arrive as actionable insight or as inbox noise? Is it integrated into clinical workflows or locked in a portal? The difference matters.

How to improve interoperability: navigate through the barriers

The barriers to interoperability are real: legacy systems that weren’t built to talk to each other, entrenched workflows and habits, vendor hesitancy, and even intentional information blocking. Additionally, concerns around privacy, security, and the enforcement of new standards make it clear why nationwide data sharing has been a long time coming.

On the positive front, new infrastructure is emerging to make trust and collaboration possible at scale. One of the most promising efforts is TEFCA (the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement). Developed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, TEFCA is designed to create a common set of rules and technical standards that enables secure, reliable data exchange across disparate networks. It aims to connect health information exchanges, EHRs, and other data sources into a single, nationwide ecosystem.

In this connected ecosystem of healthcare data, organizations of all sizes can exchange information confidently, knowing everyone is playing by the same rules.

Leading health IT vendors are actively supporting this evolution by helping organizations connect to the broader health data ecosystem without adding technical burdens to clinical teams. By aligning with TEFCA principles and embedding interoperability directly into workflows, these platforms make it easier for providers to exchange data securely, access the information they need, and stay focused on delivering high-quality care.

Interoperability healthcare solutions: real progress and emerging tech

Modern tools and standards are paving the way for smarter, more connected systems. The following advances mark the shift from the idea of interoperability to its real-world impact:

• APIs based on FHIR are enabling faster, more flexible data exchange.
• AI-powered filtering is helping surface the most relevant information from mountains of clinical data.
• Patient-generated data from wearables and remote monitoring tools is flowing into EHRs more seamlessly.
• Telehealth platforms are increasingly integrated with clinical systems, helping ensure virtual visits aren’t information silos.

The way healthcare teams are applying these technologies is even more promising than the tools themselves. Interoperability is beginning to support real-time care coordination, reduce duplicative tests, and improve clinical decision-making. When structured, standardized data flows into the right workflows—not just as raw information but as actionable insights—providers can work more efficiently, and patients experience smoother, safer care.

What health organizations can do now

Interoperability may look like a technical achievement, but at its core, it’s a clinical imperative. It’s about enabling care that is more informed, coordinated, and personalized—because providers can easily access the context they need. It’s about building patient trust through transparency and communication and ensuring that the right information reaches the right hands at the right time to guide safe, timely decisions.

For healthcare organizations, it’s time to rethink not just how data moves, but how it’s structured, shared, and surfaced to support real-world decisions. Does it arrive as actionable insight or as inbox noise? Is it integrated into clinical workflows or locked in a portal? The difference matters.

See what real, usable interoperability looks like in action.