One of the biggest challenges remains disparate information systems and the electronic health records (EHR) that all speak different languages, resisting easy translation from one platform to another. The industry is continuing to address the issue of proprietary vendor software, and therefore the lack of interoperability. Privacy and security regulations such as HIPAA also prohibit the unauthorized exchange of data and mandate protection from accidental or intentional release of PHI.

Patient and provider collaboration is required to monitor and adjust medication and treatment plans, assess risk, and elicit the patient’s support network for visits, follow-up care, and therapy. This activity requires personal and continual communication that can be improved via technical innovations.

Often the blame for technological disruptions goes to a lack of interoperability—the ability of information technology systems and software applications to communicate, exchange data, and put this exchanged information to use. Ideally, data exchange standards would allow data to be shared across clinicians, labs, and facilities, regardless of the application or software vendor.

Out of necessity, the medical community has made do with remote learning during COVID-19, whether that’s through Zoom®, Webex®, or other online platforms.

While Hospital at Home may sound like a direct reaction to the pandemic, the concept was originally developed in the mid-1990s by Dr. John Burton of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Dr. Donna Regenstreif of the John A. Hartford Foundation. Their goal, which was established roughly a decade before the introduction of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Triple Aim, was to safely bring down the cost of acute care while improving outcomes and increasing patient satisfaction.