The Advantages and Challenges of Electronic Health Information Sharing
How the Trend toward Data Exchange is Improving Patient Care and Overcoming Privacy Concerns
Electronic health information sharing between hospitals and healthcare providers has gained significant traction recently [3]. This shift towards data sharing is driven by the widespread adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), which have made it possible to store and access patient information electronically [2].
Electronic health information sharing allows healthcare providers access to more comprehensive patient data, which can improve the quality of care delivered [5]. For example, sharing test results, medical histories, and medication lists between hospitals and providers can lead to better diagnoses and treatments [1]. It can also help healthcare providers to coordinate care more effectively, avoiding duplicative testing and procedures and reducing the risk of medical errors [4].
To ensure that electronic health information sharing is secure and consistent, many hospitals have adopted systems like the CommonWell Health Alliance and the Carequality Interoperability Framework [1][2]. These systems standardize the exchange of patient information and ensure that data privacy and security are maintained [5].
