EHR/IIS Interoperability

Connectivity between PALTC electronic health record systems (EHRs) and public health immunization information systems (IIS) is key to ensuring residents are up to date with recommended immunizations.

Despite adoption of health information technology among healthcare providers and public health support for standards-based immunization data exchange, there is a lack of interoperability between PALTC EHRs and IIS. These two resources address issues and recommendations for EHR/IIS interoperability.

The first summarizes the challenges to interoperability and provides specific recommendations. These include:

  • Ensure awareness and understanding of connectivity benefits to strengthen and monitor collaborative action

  • Positively incentivize connectivity

  • Reduce the operational and technical burden of connectivity

The second aims to advance connectivity between PALTC EHRs and IIS by serving as a guide for EHR vendors to ensure technical readiness for exchange with IIS. It outlines five keys to connectivity to support long-term care EHR vendor technical readiness for immunization data exchange.

These five keys include:

  • Support SOAP-Based Web Service Exchange

  • Support HL7 v2.5.2 Immunization Messaging

  • Support Interface Configurability, to Align with Jurisdictional Laws and Policies

  • Ensure Workflows to Capture and Manage Data Elements

  • Prepare for Processes Associated with Connectivity: Onboarding and Ongoing Monitoring and Maintenance

  • Improving Immunization Interoperability Between Post-Acute and Long-Term Care and Public Health
  • Preparing for Immunization Interoperability with Public Health