Although health data-sharing brings significant benefits for patients and residents as well as providers alike, a study published in the May issue of JAMDA points to barriers blocking potential benefits specific to nursing homes. Overall, those barriers concern communication challenges, authors said.
The analysis was based on data from a national survey of nursing home administrative leaders across the country and also semi-structured interviews with administrators for contextual information. A total of 815 nursing homes completed the national survey.
Study authors defined the perceived benefits of health data-sharing as improved communication and care-planning, along with a proactive way to anticipate future data for information exchange.
Communication, however, often is the very barrier that can block health data-sharing benefits, according to the nursing home administrative leaders. Those communication challenges, typically involving residents and their family members and external clinical partners, can include variances in system/software, privacy/security concerns and organizational factors slowing uptake of technology.
Study authors concluded that most nursing homes have some ability for data-sharing, although what they can share and with whom varies greatly.
The authors added: “As health data sharing becomes more ubiquitous in acute care settings, nursing homes and other post-acute providers should prepare by working to mitigate known barriers and capitalize on the potential benefits. When information is able to flow seamlessly across the healthcare continuum, efficiency gains can be realized, giving clinicians more time to focus on improving care coordination and, ultimately, health outcomes.”
