Development in technology has allowed health care organizations to capitalize on their use as they seek to enhance the quality of care they provide. Integration entails an inclusion of various electronic systems and applications used in managing the health information. Interoperability entails the capacity of the applications or components of a system to exchange and utilize information. The concepts are critical to the health care setting as they assist in the reduction of redundant data entry, make access to information faster, and allow the flow of information in real-time. In addition, some of the benefits include sharing, visibility, and re-use of data.
Vendor Versus In-House
It is worth noting that the acquisition decision and selection of the vendor is a multifaceted process due to factors, including the multiplicity of applications, speedy technological changes, and the role of various business entities in the business. Acquisition of the applications is critical given the significance of technology in modern healthcare. Therefore, strong vendors in the business have tested and approved applications in the market, which would cost less for the organization as opposed to a decision to develop the application in-house.
Non-Integrated Systems
Adoption of electronic systems in the management of health information is on the rise. However, from the onset, not all the stakeholders might adequately understand the implementation and use of the systems. Thus, it might be counterproductive to integrate all applications into a single system, especially for the early adaptors. Different applications are separately maintained at the early stages of adoption for various reasons, including the reality that the users need time to adapt to the changes and to be safe in case of failure of the system.