"Interoperability" has been one of the big conversations in healthcare reform for many years.

Interoperability is the communication of patient records from one health care provider to another, even between companies that have nothing else to do with each other.

The Obama administration has finally taken part, pushing America's largest healthcare providers to integrate their independent data communication technologies.

This is a good thing for patients, who have better care and less inconvenience. Interoperability also benefits healthcare providers, who will make fewer errors when providing care, because all patient data will be accessible wherever the patient goes for care.

Open access to patient data could also lead the way to novel cures based on genetics, and other innovations.

Read full article at Modern Healthcare.

Photo credit: mbstuart via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA