Integration is the arrangement of an organization’s information systems in way that allows them to communicate efficiently and effectively and brings together related parts into a single system. Interoperability is the ability of health information systems to work together within and across organizational boundaries in order to advance the effective delivery of healthcare for individuals and communities.
Few healthcare systems take advantage of the full potential of the current state of the art in computer science and health informatics. The consequences of this situation include a drain on financial resources from the economy, the inability to truly mitigate the occurrence of medical errors, and a lack of national preparedness to respond to natural and man-made epidemics and disasters. HIMSS has created the Integration and Interoperability Steering Committee to guide the industry on allocating resources to develop and implement standards and technology needed to achieve interoperability.
HIMSS' efforts and documentation in integration and interoperability can help decision makers gather knowledge and obtain resources . You can read current issues and trends in interoperability and integration, learn about our interoperability showcases, and find related interoperability activities and events.
Extending International Efforts, Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise Adopts Enhanced Principles of Governance
IHE International and its multiple member organizations come together as an association
HIMSS Approves Position on HITSP Interoperability Recommendations
The HIMSS Board of Directors approved, at its June 2007 board meeting, the following position statement in support of the Health Information Technology Standards Panel.
HIMSS Reports: Systemic Interoperability Commission Releases Report to Congress and Administration
In a public forum in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Oct. 25, the Commission on Systemic Interoperability presented its final report to the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives.
