The data dilemma: Why providers need a new EHR interoperability approach

Leaders across IDNs, ACOs, and Provider Enablement organizations face a new era of complexity. Value-based care technology promises better outcomes, smarter resource allocation, and sustainable growth. Yet, this contrasts sharply with the day-to-day reality. Providers are drowning in unstructured, scattered data across disparate systems within the context of mounting administrative demands.  

The result?  

Precious clinical time is lost searching for relevant patient information, raising the risk of missed diagnoses, gaps in documentation, and, ultimately, compromised care quality and compliance. Providers and health systems are expected to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care while keeping up with intricate compliance requirements and the need to demonstrate measurable progress on value-based KPIs.

The stakes grow higher as CMS accelerates the transition to value-based models. Recent Medicaid restrictions, tighter eligibility checks, and funding cuts are projected to leave millions without health coverage and strain hospital and provider resources. As policy shifts ripple through the system, organizations must find new ways to do more with less, without sacrificing care quality or compliance. But how can teams rise to the challenge when data is locked in silos and administrative overload is the norm?

Enter AI-powered EHR interoperability: data that works for you

Now, imagine every provider having instant, intuitive access to the most relevant insights, surfaced directly within their EHR. No more chart mining. No more toggling between systems. No more guesswork. When interoperability is built on intelligent automation and real-time integration, the system finally works for clinicians. Administrative burdens shrink, clinical teams reclaim time for patients, and every redundant step eliminated puts resources back into care.

Interoperability reshapes the provider and patient experience; turning data from a burden into a strategic advantage. True interoperability value emerges when it anchors documentation quality to support compliance, optimize resources, and build trust across organizations. The best solutions go beyond moving data between systems. They embed clinical intelligence into workflows, surfacing information right when and where it’s needed.

Too often, digital tools pile on complexity. Systems designed without frontline, clinical  input force teams to reconcile conflicting information and pull focus from patient care. The challenge is not about accumulating more features but about embedding technology so seamlessly that it becomes invisible; a quiet engine that fuels clinical decision-making, closes gaps, and creates space for human judgement.

Clarity over clutter: real-world impact

In practice, the difference between data overload and actionable insight can be the difference between confident patient care and missed opportunities. When providers enter an exam room, they require clear and concise access to the most pertinent clinical information, presented at an appropriate time, rather than an excessive number of alerts. AI-powered EHR interoperability transforms the bedside experience by offering a clear patient snapshot: conditions lacking documentation, unfinished screenings, and new risks since the last visit. Critical minutes are no longer wasted hunting for answers; providers are free to focus on the patient.

This clarity does more than save time. Physician fatigue wanes as workflow noise diminishes. Confidence grows. Decisions draw on comprehensive, up-to-date details. Documentation improves naturally within the rhythm of care rather than as a stressful, after-hours task. Compliance requirements are met seamlessly by design.

Patients benefit too. Appointments become more collaborative, clinicians more present. Small improvements add up: fewer missed diagnoses, higher quality scores, reduced audit risk, and measurable efficiency gains. Teams regain their footing, and organizations see sustained progress on clinical and financial goals. With clarity over clutter, providers return to what they do best: delivering exceptional care.

Three ways interoperability drives value-based care

Progress hinges on technology that enhances clarity. When interoperability is truly part of the clinical workflow, its impact goes beyond convenience; it fundamentally advances the goals of value-based care. Here’s how:

1. Powering performance where it counts

With unified patient data, providers can immediately spot care gaps, prioritize those at greatest risk, and ensure every visit advances both clinical and financial objectives. It’s no longer about collecting data for its own sake but leveraging the insights from that data to maximize quality and efficiency.

2. Building a culture of compliance

Audit preparation doesn’t need to be an afterthought or a crisis moment. Forward-thinking organizations “bake in” validation checks and readiness drills into everyday routines, creating a defensible audit trail as care is delivered. With streamlined, compliant processes embedded up-front, providers can face any audit or regulatory review with confidence. Clear, audit-ready practices don’t just safeguard operational health; they also create a culture where clinicians and leaders trust their data and lean into improvement.

3. Making care delivery human again

Most importantly, technology should respect clinical judgement and reduce information overload. Seamless interoperability restores time and focus. It removes the friction of broken data pathways, so care teams can engage patients directly, document with greater accuracy, and collaborate more effectively across compliance, clinical, and administrative roles. With visibility into the “why” behind every data prompt, engagement transforms from obligation to shared investment. The result is a reinvigorated sense of purpose; a renewed ability for teams to deliver exceptional, patient-centered care while advancing system-wide goals.

With this approach, interoperability becomes a strategic driver; helping provider organizations meet today’s demands and tomorrow’s ambitions, while improving the experience for everyone involved.

Looking ahead: A human-centered approach to data integrity

Tomorrow’s value-based care solutions will take interoperability beyond technology, making it effortless, meaningful, and human-centered. As data demands become more sophisticated, the most successful organizations will empower their teams with clear, actionable workflows. True progress means weaving trustworthy data into every touchpoint along the care journey, so clinicians can break free from the data dilemma and get back to what matters most: serving their patients and communities.

Authored by Marena Hildebrandt, DNP, RN, PHN, NEA-BC
Product Marketing Manager, Provider Solutions, Reveleer‍