Why digital medicine depends on interoperability.
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 31453374.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41746-019-0158-1 and PMC identifier 6702215.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
Digital data are anticipated to transform medicine. However, most of today's medical data lack interoperability: hidden in isolated databases, incompatible systems and proprietary software, the data are difficult to exchange, analyze, and interpret. This slows down medical progress, as technologies that rely on these data - artificial intelligence, big data or mobile applications - cannot be used to their full potential. In this article, we argue that interoperability is a prerequisite for the digital innovations envisioned for future medicine. We focus on four areas where interoperable data and IT systems are particularly important: (1) artificial intelligence and big data; (2) medical communication; (3) research; and (4) international cooperation. We discuss how interoperability can facilitate digital transformation in these areas to improve the health and well-being of patients worldwide.