Interoperability Issues Keep Clinicians From Sharing Health Info Electronically

Clinicians want to share health care information electronically, but are stymied by electronic health records that can't communicate with one another, a lack of information-exchange infrastructure, and the expense of setting up electronic interfaces and information exchanges, a new survey finds.

The survey, "Clinician Perspectives on Electronic Health Information Sharing for Transitions of Care," released today by the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C., found that 80 percent of clinicians surveyed said electronic exchange of health information will improve patient care and care coordination. In addition, 69 percent said electronic information exchange would make their practices more efficient, while 57 percent said it was important to reducing health-care costs.

But another clear majority, 71 percent, identified lack of EHR interoperability and exchange infrastructure as major barriers to health information exchange. Nearly as many, 69 percent, identified the cost of creating and maintaining interfaces and exchanges as a major barrier...