- Interoperability in healthcare is not the same as integration. Integration relies on middleware, while interoperability supports direct, real-time data exchange.
- Interoperable systems preserve the original meaning and context of data, enabling faster, cleaner, and more consistent communication across ASC environments.
- Interoperability supports accurate, real-time information access, which helps ASCs meet reporting needs, respond to shifting reimbursement models, and maintain a complete view of each patient.
- The move toward interoperability in healthcare is accelerating, driven by ONC guidelines and the industry’s need for standardized, reliable data exchange.
- Partnering with vendors like SIS who support universal interoperability standards helps ASCs prepare for future care models and evolving operational requirements.
Discover what interoperability in healthcare means for ASCs, how it differs from integration, and why real-time data exchange is essential for surgery centers.
Every industry has a unique vocabulary, and healthcare is no exception. The problem: Some of those words are easily misunderstood and become misused to the point of meaninglessness — and interoperability is high on that list.
As ASCs adopt more digital tools like EHRs — now used by more than three-quarters of centers — and face shifting payment models and increasingly complex procedures, gaining clarity around interoperability in healthcare and its benefits has become essential.
Understanding what is interoperability in healthcare (and what is not) helps ASC leaders make sound, future-focused technology decisions.
Interoperability is not: integration
Many people use the words interoperability and integration interchangeably, but they describe very different concepts.
Defining integration
Integration connects applications by using middleware, a third-party layer that receives information from one system, transforms it, and sends a modified version that “works” for another system. That data path is indirect in this scenario.
What is interoperability in healthcare?
Interoperability in healthcare is the real-time exchange of data between systems without middleware. When systems are interoperable, they can not only share information directly but also interpret the incoming data and present it as it was received, preserving its original meaning and context.
In practical terms, interoperable systems speak the same language. They don’t rely on a third party to translate or modify information before it can be used. Because the data is exchanged in its native form, communication is faster, cleaner, and more consistent than what’s possible through integration.
This ability to exchange and understand standardized data in real time is what distinguishes interoperability from integration — and why the two should not be used interchangeably. Interoperability standards in healthcare also ensure that systems follow consistent formats and expectations for data exchange, supporting clearer communication across the ASC environment.
Why is interoperability important in healthcare for ASCS?
While integration has long supported data exchange in ASCs, the environment has changed. ASCs rely on a wider range of digital tools, respond to evolving reporting and documentation expectations, and operate in a landscape where care and reimbursement models continue to shift. These factors increase the importance of exchanging information accurately, consistently, and in real time — which is what interoperability in healthcare enables.
Interoperability supports this by allowing systems to share standardized data directly, without requiring middleware or custom translation layers. As a result, information can be used as it was originally created, helping reduce delays, manual work, and inconsistencies that occur when data must be reformatted or interpreted.
But this is about more than semantics
Currently, most data exchange in the ASC industry is still the result of integration, but achieving interoperability is vital to ambulatory surgery center operations. Why? Because the immediate access to information that interoperability makes possible allows for both a complete view of the patient and greater agility in responding to requests and reporting requirements. These data-driven activities are increasingly key to ASC success, especially as the industry continues moving toward a value-based healthcare system.
This level of information access is particularly important for ASCs, as they typically operate outside hospital or health-system environments, which often maintain their own closed data ecosystems. In an interoperable world, all stakeholders across the continuum of care can more easily access and use data from other systems, making up-to-date — even up-to-the-minute — information sharing possible.
Movement toward greater ASC interoperability
The shift to true interoperability in healthcare, including ASCs, won't be a slow evolution. It'll be a revolution that requires forward-looking strategies and strong collaboration.
Fortunately, the ONC (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology within the U.S. Department of Health) is leading the way with guidelines, but providers must partner with vendors who support these universal interoperability standards in healthcare. At SIS, we work to stay ahead of the curve by aligning our ASC solutions with interoperability requirements and ensuring our future offerings fit seamlessly into emerging standards.
In this way, the future of interoperability is in our hands — and yours. And that's a sentiment needing no translation.
If you're exploring how to strengthen data exchange and prepare your ASC for the future of interoperable care, SIS can help you understand the path forward. Request a demo and learn how our solutions support seamless communication, streamline operations, and keep your surgery center ready for what’s next.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is interoperability in healthcare?
Interoperability in healthcare is the real-time exchange of data between systems without middleware. It allows systems to share and interpret information exactly as it was received, preserving its context.
2. How is interoperability different from integration?
Integration uses middleware to translate or reformat data before sending it to another system. Interoperability supports direct, standardized communication without translation, making it faster and more consistent.
3. Why is interoperability important for ASCs today?
ASCs are adopting more digital tools, managing more complex procedures, and responding to evolving documentation and reimbursement requirements. Interoperability ensures accurate, timely access to the information needed across these activities.
4. What challenges do ASCs face without interoperability?
Without interoperability, data may be delayed, inconsistent, or dependent on custom translation. This can lead to additional manual work, reporting delays, and difficulty maintaining a complete patient record.
5. How do interoperability standards in healthcare help ASCs?
Standards create a common framework for exchanging data consistently across systems. For ASCs, this supports clearer communication, reduces translation-related errors, and improves the efficiency of data-driven tasks.
