Principle 4: Interoperability

DATE: 29-01-2024 STATUS: ADOPTED

 

Interoperability is the ability of different autonomous, heterogeneous units, systems, parties, organizations or individuals to collaborate, communicate and exchange information with each other, according to the definition in the National Vision and Strategy on the health information system of VWS.

It is also important for secondary data use that data can be shared between systems and organizations. Data must be able to be used in conjunction with each other. It is important that the data is FAIR. FAIR stands for findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. This is based on the principle of one-off registration for multiple use. With one-off registration, data is recorded in a standardized way (Unity of language) and is then made accessible in a standard manner (Unity of technology) for secondary use. At present, the principles of unity of language and unity of technology are not yet sufficiently applied in healthcare.

If we want to adopt interoperability as a leading national principle for the health data infrastructure for research, policy and innovation, what should we agree on in the Netherlands about technical, organizational, legal and semantic interoperability? How can we take the interests of all stakeholders into account, so that agreements are widely supported and everyone recognizes them?

Consultation with the OVT community will soon start to give substance to this concept in order to arrive at the leading national principles of this system of agreements.