ABSTRACT
Interoperability is the capacity of two or more systems to share and communicate, allowing collaboration within an organisation or between other 'businesses'/people/IT systems, of which there are various levels. There are currently a number of ways that systems can interact to achieve interoperability, which have been split into two areas. First, an understanding of the technical aspects of the systems is needed to ensure the information is delivered correctly. Second, we need to ensure that the theoretical processes are understood (and in place) in order that the various systems can understand the relevant information, the latter being the most difficult. To make interoperability truly work throughout the systems, the patient will need a single patient identifier (an item in common with other systems) that is available to all organisations in order to support collaborative working. Changes to interoperability are fairly common as new technologies and uses of data arise.
