Data Integration

The primary aim of a strategy for data integration is to ensure that data can flow between the two separate systems safely and efficiently (Giannangelo, 2019). Data integration can be described as “the process of connecting various data/data points from various sources into a single unified collection.” For accurate analysis, data is cleansed, interacted with, and converted between two or more applications during this process” (Singh, 2020). Data integration is critical in the healthcare industry because it facilitates Interoperability and improves patient care quality. If it is processed, stored, handled, and exchanged so that employees can locate, use, and interpret it, it may be the most valuable business asset. A data integration strategy is needed to achieve this.
As HIM Compliance manager for the hospital, I must follow up on data quality and safety standards. I will follow data governance, data standardization, data capture validation, maintenance and data capture, analysis, and outputs for data integration strategy (The American Health Information Management Association, 2018). Data governance refers to collecting policies and procedures that regulate who, how, and why data is handled within a corporation (The American Health Information Management Association, 2018). Strong data governance helps with enforcement and legal efforts by organizing data for retrieval and retention, especially over time. Data governance includes data modeling, data mapping, data audit, data quality controls, data quality management, data architecture, and data dictionaries (Giannangelo, 2019). It is crucial to have a data dictionary standardization in place to collect and record data consistently. The Standardized Patient Discharge Data Set (UHDDS), which consists of core data for hospital reporting, is one of the data sets used in the hospital environment. As an HIM Compliance officer, it has been a top priority to ensure that the hospital complied with UHDDS and followed the ICD-9-CM code.
The data format is critical for Interoperability, as it not only improves integration and Interoperability between departments/ facilities and ensures enhanced patient care and more accessible data access for analysis (Giannangelo, 2019). Using the most commonly recognized and used data formats in the healthcare industry will ensure that the company has good Interoperability and integration between all departments in the hospital.