Solving the interoperability puzzle: a guide to data interchange between hospitals and physician practices.

Exemptions within the Stark and Anti-Kickback laws allow for considerable financial support from hospitals to physician practices interested in implementing electronic medical record (EMR) systems. Many hospital systems are currently offering incentives for physicians to purchase EMR products with the promise to provide e-prescribing and link to their integrated delivery networks. Yet there are a myriad of connection options for physician groups, with more on the horizon. This article describes existing and future choices for connecting practices to information from hospitals and other entities. The article features the example of the Detroit Medical Center, which has succeeded in delivering interoperability via a low-cost, remotely hosted, application-service-provider model EMR. You'll discover how the organization launched an outpatient EMR system at both hospital-based and closely affiliated private physician offices, with minimal internal support, and how cross-platform interoperability can allow records to flow between the hospital and the physician office.