We must solve the internal Hospital Interoperability before achieving regional or national interoperability.

Internal hospital interoperability plays a crucial role in creating a regional and, eventually, national health interoperability solution. Here are the key reasons why internal hospital interoperability is important for achieving broader interoperability goals:

1. Seamless Data Exchange: Hospitals are complex environments with various departments, systems, and healthcare professionals. Internal interoperability ensures seamless data exchange and sharing of patient information among different departments within a hospital. When data flows smoothly within a hospital, it sets the foundation for efficient and coordinated care delivery.

2. Patient-Centric Care: Internal interoperability enables healthcare providers within a hospital to have a comprehensive view of a patient's medical history, test results, treatments, and medications. This holistic view supports informed decision-making and fosters patient-centric care by allowing healthcare professionals to collaborate effectively, make accurate diagnoses, and develop tailored treatment plans.

3. Continuity of Care: Internal interoperability facilitates the continuity of care as patients move between different departments, units, or healthcare providers within a hospital. It ensures that relevant patient information is available at the point of care, minimizing the risk of errors, duplications, or omissions. Continuity of care is crucial for improving patient safety, reducing healthcare costs, and enhancing overall care quality.

4. Efficient Workflows and Processes: Interoperability within a hospital streamlines workflows and processes by enabling the electronic exchange of information. It reduces reliance on paper-based records, manual data entry, and time-consuming administrative tasks. Automated data exchange enhances operational efficiency, reduces the likelihood of errors, and frees up healthcare professionals' time to focus on patient care.

5. Data Consistency and Standardization: Internal interoperability promotes the use of standardized data formats, coding systems, and terminologies within a hospital. Consistent and standardized data ensure that information is captured, documented, and communicated in a uniform manner. This lays the groundwork for data consistency and semantic interoperability when sharing data across different healthcare organizations and systems.

6. Scalability and Interoperability Expansion: Hospitals serve as building blocks for regional and national health interoperability solutions. Establishing internal interoperability within hospitals creates a solid foundation that can be scaled up and extended to regional or national levels. It enables hospitals to exchange data with external healthcare organizations, such as other hospitals, clinics, laboratories, or public health agencies, fostering regional data sharing and collaboration.

7. Policy and Governance Alignment: Internal interoperability necessitates the development of policies, standards, and governance frameworks within a hospital. These policies govern data sharing, privacy, security, consent management, and data governance practices. Aligning internal policies and governance with regional or national standards paves the way for harmonized approaches and smoother integration into broader interoperability initiatives.

By prioritizing internal hospital interoperability, healthcare organizations contribute to the development of regional and national health interoperability solutions. Internal interoperability enhances care coordination, supports informed decision-making, improves patient safety, streamlines workflows, promotes data standardization, and aligns policies and governance. It establishes a solid foundation for broader interoperability, ultimately leading to more connected and coordinated healthcare ecosystems at larger scales.