Both Marjorie and Holly have devoted their expertise and careers towards building the infrastructure and plumbing that fuels the clinical data information highway so that clinical data is trustworthy, useful and actionable. They share the progress made over the past few decades and the opportunity in front of us with the adoption of TEFCA (Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement). They emphasize the complexities of standards and terminologies governing health information flow and highlight interoperability's critical role in improving healthcare quality, safety, efficiency, and patient engagement.
Dr. Miller notes that while health data exchange is widespread, data often lacks reliability and usability for seamless integration into patient care. Dr. Rallins reflects on improvements since the inception of interoperability initiatives, citing advances in electronic health records (EHRs) but noting persistent challenges like semantic interoperability with standardized terminologies. She also notes that this may be technical, but is also not that hard. The "Internet of Interoperability," prioritizing data accessibility alongside security and privacy protections is the aim.
They also discuss challenges such as data blocking and regulatory efforts to promote patient access and adherence to interoperability standards like USCDI. Overall, they express cautious optimism about interoperability's progress amid ongoing issues of data usability, trustworthiness, and regulatory compliance, with an eye toward evolving technologies like AI for future improvements
Both Marjorie and Holly recognize that there are fewer women who, like them, have pursued a field of data standards and interoperability. Yet, they are NOT alone and with appreciation for those who work alongside them, they encourage others to choose this deeply technical path.
We close with giving both doctors a magic wand to advance the healthcare landscape. Holly officially wants to “ax the fax” and get to standardized data. Marjorie also looks to standardized terminologies but asks for national health equity as the most important path for us to pursue.