4 ms·

We don't have a centralized healthcare system but that doesn't mean there's no need for interoperability because healthcare institutions constantly exchange inf

We don't have a centralized healthcare system but that doesn't mean there's no need for interoperability because healthcare institutions constantly exchange information. When you go to the doctor you are presumably insured. So your doctor needs to communicate with your insurance. Insurers might need to communicate with government agencies and regulatory bodies, and so on. If you've seen Covid data in Germany, that data comes from every corner in Germany, and all those institutions need to be able to talk toe each other.

hdkrgr 5y ago
To be fair: As a patient, except for them scanning my insurance card, I see very little evidence that would suggest that most of data exchange isn't being done via fax, snail-mail, or people talking into phones. Why in the world do I get a piece of paper from my doctor that I'm supposed to mail to my insurance provider (or scan and upload if you're lucky) when I'm being diagnosed with something? Doctor's offices are the least digitized businesses around. There's first signs of this getting better, but I can't wait for things to change...
- germanier 5y ago
  The current plan is to get rid of that piece of paper by the same time next year.
- TMWNN 5y ago
  >Why in the world do I get a piece of paper from my doctor that I'm supposed to mail to my insurance provider (or scan and upload if you're lucky) when I'm being diagnosed with something? >Doctor's offices are the least digitized businesses around. Oh? Here in the US I can't remember the last time I had to take a prescription on paper from a doctor. Whether CVS, Walgreens, or Amazon PillPack, when my doctor prescribes medication, the pharmacy receives it very quickly, sometimes within minutes. Same with lab work; whether my health system's own labs or a third party like LabCorp or Quest, it's all electronic. (The process is not all electronic. When a prescription expires, if I request that the pharmacy renews it (as opposed to requesting a renewal from the prescribing doctor), I believe the pharmacy calls the doctor. But either way, I don't otherwise get involved other than, in both cases, requesting it via a website.)

hdkrgr 5y ago

To be fair: As a patient, except for them scanning my insurance card, I see very little evidence that would suggest that most of data exchange isn't being done via fax, snail-mail, or people talking into phones. Why in the world do I get a piece of paper from my doctor that I'm supposed to mail to my insurance provider (or scan and upload if you're lucky) when I'm being diagnosed with something? Doctor's offices are the least digitized businesses around. There's first signs of this getting better, but I can't wait for things to change...

germanier 5y ago
The current plan is to get rid of that piece of paper by the same time next year.
TMWNN 5y ago
>Why in the world do I get a piece of paper from my doctor that I'm supposed to mail to my insurance provider (or scan and upload if you're lucky) when I'm being diagnosed with something? >Doctor's offices are the least digitized businesses around. Oh? Here in the US I can't remember the last time I had to take a prescription on paper from a doctor. Whether CVS, Walgreens, or Amazon PillPack, when my doctor prescribes medication, the pharmacy receives it very quickly, sometimes within minutes. Same with lab work; whether my health system's own labs or a third party like LabCorp or Quest, it's all electronic. (The process is not all electronic. When a prescription expires, if I request that the pharmacy renews it (as opposed to requesting a renewal from the prescribing doctor), I believe the pharmacy calls the doctor. But either way, I don't otherwise get involved other than, in both cases, requesting it via a website.)