Interoperability Environmental Scan Report 

Interoperability is an important process that can enable providers to connect and share information with other providers and specialists to guide better decision making, improve quality of care, and increase involvement of patients in their own healthcare processes. The sharing and appropriate use of information, specifically electronic information, are important aspects of healthcare. NQF will develop a common framework and measure concepts to serve as a foundation to address the current gaps in the measurement of interoperability and its impact.  As a first step, NQF conducted an environmental scan as a guide to understanding the key components of interoperability including: (1) infrastructure and services needed to effectively support the capability to exchange information; (2) the flow of information from and between systems and its usage among providers, patients, and payers; and (3) how that information would have a measurable impact on the development of a learning healthcare system.