Interoperability trends and tools in 2025
As healthcare systems become increasingly digital, it’s important to understand and embrace interoperable platforms and tools. And although some people may feel overwhelmed by discussions of interoperability, it’s really a straightforward concept: It simply means having the ability to exchange data electronically in both directions, receiving and transmitting.
Interoperability in post-acute and long-term care has many practical applications. For instance, imagine a scenario where a patient needs to go to an ER. If the ER intake staff has to rely on the patient (or family member) to accurately provide a list of all the patient’s medications and dosages, is that optimal? Is that safe? If a patient has some form of dementia and can’t provide accurate information about medications, it could put their safety at risk. It would be far better for an intake nurse, in any setting, to be able to pull up reliable, complete EHR records so the patient can get the right care as soon as possible. That’s what interoperability can do.
That’s just the start. In the coming year, we’ll see additional capabilities and data that can be shared, summarized and reconciled, making it easier for clinicians, medical records staff and facility leaders to work more effectively. Here are some examples.
More historical documents available
Many EHRs may display only the most recent 30 days of patient documents if it’s a patient’s first admission for long-term or post-acute care services. But now, our solution will pull in information from previous decades, allowing clinicians to see original diagnoses that can help justify reimbursement claims. One nurse told me, “I want that data from 1996 because that’s when the resident was first diagnosed with diabetes, and there was nowhere else that we had that information.” Clinicians will be able to see medications from previous care settings. The admissions coordinator can see demographics and background information. The medical records team can hand-pick key documents to add to the chart to help justify claims. So much detail that has often been lost over time can be included to support better documentation and help residents to receive better care.
Full resident charts
Soon, you’ll have the ability to see a comprehensive, digital resident chart. No more hunting around for paperwork and then realizing you’re missing the middle three pages of an important document. In addition to the continuity of care document (CCD) that’s already available, you’ll have after-visit summaries from physicians, and progress notes for in-house staff and for other providers—for instance, for a resident needing home health physical therapy after a broken hip. That information will be available for anyone who needs to see it.
In addition, vitals reports, preventive health information and immunization records will all be shareable from the hospital to you and vice versa. Caregivers can have all that historical information at their fingertips electronically. This enables visibility into the patient’s entire history, without information gaps. Charts will be more complete with these details.
EHR-agnostic interoperability tools
One reason some healthcare professionals resist moving to interoperable tools is that they don’t feel they have the time and attention to devote to learning a new system. And given workloads and ongoing staffing challenges, that’s understandable. But the latest tools integrate information into existing systems, which means users can look up what they need in the platform they’re accustomed to using. When systems are truly interoperable, there’s no need to learn how to use several platforms.
Our Exchange Data Manager tool is one example. We’ve developed it to work with any EHR, so patient information can be pulled in from other systems and pushed out wherever it needs to go. Users don’t need to learn a new system to send or receive the documents they need to help deliver great care to their residents.
TEFCA-ready systems
The 21st Century Cures Act requires healthcare providers to not block patient data—if we have it, we have to share it. The Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement—TEFCA—defines the legal and technical requirements as well as the principles that support widespread information exchange while helping ensure data privacy and security. TEFCA gives patients better access to their records and helps healthcare providers improve the secure exchange of electronic health information.
More post-acute providers looking at interoperable solutions want a system that already meets the regulatory requirements of information sharing, such as working with a Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN). Implementing a TEFCA-ready system now lets providers get ahead of regulatory requirements for secure data sharing, so they avoid any last-minute changes or challenges.
Interoperability is here to stay
The post-acute care industry is undeniably moving toward interoperability. But an important point to remember is that although there may be some resistance to moving to interoperable, electronic systems, in the end it’s about patient experience, staff efficiency and better health outcomes.
If you’re ready to learn more about all the ways interoperable tools and platforms can enhance care coordination and help you improve patient outcomes, contact us for more details.
Request a demo today for a closer look at MatrixCare.
Michele Spadola
Michele is a Senior Product Manager in Interoperability at MatrixCare, specializing in Senior Living and Long-Term Care (SLTC). Since joining MatrixCare in 2016, she has leveraged her 17 years of experience in the healthcare industry, which began with a primary care physicians group before focusing on SLTC. With over 30 years of professional experience across various industries, Michele has developed a strong expertise in managing certification and integration projects, leading to her current role in product management.
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