How to achieve integrated care where limited or no interoperability is currently in place

Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are partnerships that bring together providers and commissioners of NHS services across a geographical area with an aim to collectively integrate care across different organisations, improve population health and reduce inequalities. Despite the drive for digital transformation, organisations, settings and systems still work in silos. Data sharing limitations are a core obstacle to optimising the delivery of effective connected care across ICS regions.

What are the perceived challenges in the uptake of interoperability and technology in health and care settings?

• Concerns from end users about the scale and pace of changes
• Lack of training for end users and benefits of integrated care technology
• Availability of resource and skills to implement interoperability solutions
• Scoping of required clinical system connections, and tailoring of data access to the needs of local patient population and clinicians
• Disruption to current workflows
• Need for simplified, single portal access to all required patient data to inform clinical decisions.

Addressing the challenges

Improved interoperability can be easier to achieve than you may think. With the right support and expertise, solutions can be deployed to join up care, addressing the complex digital challenges faced in achieving digital transformation goals.

The Medical Interoperability Gateway (MIG) is a secure middleware technology which enables the two-way exchange of patient information between health and social care organisations. For organisations with an existing system in place, the MIG provides real-time patient information at the point of care from our 80+ clinical system partners. In instances where an existing system is not in place, our MIG Shared Record Viewer, an independent web portal, provides healthcare professionals with instant access to MIG data. It can be accessed through the HSCN/N3 and allows end users to search for patients and view their medical records in one place. The MIG facilitates data sharing in any system, in any setting so single sign on can exist, providing seamless access to rich patient data, including an array of specialist datasets from mental health, social care and primary care.  

Integrated care technology can be implemented easily by specialists in the health technology space but it’s the end users and their patients that will gain the most.  Therefore, building awareness to improve knowledge will help increase the adoption of services in an organisation. When new technology is used to its maximum potential and embedded into day to day workflows, the patient is kept at the heart of decision making.

Healthcare Gateway recognise the importance of providing end users with knowledge and clarity of available services. By providing wraparound interoperability support, including MIG Awareness Sessions, our team of specialists help improve knowledge and understanding of the MIG with an aim to increase the adoption of the service across healthcare settings.

A managed service takes the burden away and given the pressures on services today, no healthcare provider would want unnecessary disruption. As a managed service provider, Healthcare Gateway not only deploys the technology, we maintain the technology by keeping it running, in a cost and time effective way.

Interoperability for care homes

There is an increasing need to reap the benefits of digital transformation in care homes and ensure that staff in care homes are digitally equipped to support their important role at the heart of patient care. NHS England report that residents in care homes account for 185,000 emergency admissions each year and 1.46 million emergency bed days with 35-40% of emergency admissions deemed potentially avoidable. By improving the digital infrastructure and allowing appropriate access to patient data in care home settings, care staff are more effectively equipped to provide informed, personalised care, which in turn helps to avoid emergency admissions. Interoperability between clinical systems and settings along a care home resident’s care pathway is critical in reducing pressures on emergency care and improving outcomes.

Digitalisation of care homes is not just about cost savings, it is about enabling staff to:

• Save time and resources in care

• Spend more time caring for their residents

• Focus on prevention

• Minimise the avoidable use of emergency services

• Improve patient outcomes.

Interoperability for hospice care

Brightree report that 60% of clinicians and organisations which refer patients to hospices state, they require increased electronic health record (EHR) interoperability. With a particular need for hospice’s to receive clinical documents, such as electronic referral. However, only 4% of hospices reported that they are digitally prepared to accept referrals from an interoperable EHR system.

Within palliative care settings, real-time access to patient data is crucial to the multi-disciplinary teams involved in the provision of hospice care. Access to medical records enables the delivery of tailored care plans, which meet individual’s needs and wishes when approaching the end of life.

Healthcare Gateway provide solutions including end of life data that improve communication between healthcare settings, saving valuable time for clinicians to support the provision of more informed care.

Our conclusion

To achieve integrated care where limited interoperability is in place, the key is to seek expert advice and guidance. This will allow you to fully understand the benefits interoperability technology can provide for your organisation, and how you can feasibly integrate this technology to effectively meet the needs of your patients and clinicians. Additionally, it is essential to conduct detailed project scoping to identify the system connections you require, to gain the rich datasets needed to inform care in your organisation, and achieve your organisation’s transformation goals.

At Healthcare Gateway, we’re interoperability specialists, and more than just a technology provider. Find out more about how our managed service can help you to achieve your interoperability goals at scale and pace.