Health information exchange (HIE) systems are critical to the integration of healthcare services, according to a new report from market research firm Frost & Sullivan.
Ongoing and imminent changes to regulatory and legislative policies pertaining to healthcare delivery, such as incentivizing electronic information sharing and mandating meaningful use of patient health data, will encourage the adoption of information systems such as HIE in many countries, according to Frost & Sullivan.
These changes are likely to have far-reaching consequences for healthcare delivery, particularly in predictive diagnosis and population health management, said Bhargav Rajan, a technical insights research analyst at Frost, in a statement. Information systems can transform healthcare planning and delivery, ushering in predictive analytics and coordinated care management, he said.
Challenges to adoption of these technological frameworks include interoperability issues caused by the fragmentation of healthcare markets in several countries and unwillingness of healthcare providers to make the high initial investment required for these systems, according to Frost & Sullivan. As a result, technology providers will need to design software that can be used across technology platforms to allay client concerns about interoperability and compatibility, the firm said.
Furthermore, healthcare providers also need to gauge and understand the value that information systems can bring to their practice for effecting affordable, quality service in line with patient needs, the firm said.
Led by dynamic and interactive information systems, a solid technological infrastructure will further facilitate affordable, accountable, and integrated delivery of services along the continuum of care, according to Frost & Sullivan.
