Computers are incredibly fast, accurate, and stupid: humans are incredibly slow, inaccurate, and brilliant; together they are powerful beyond imagination.

• Interoperability is the ability of different systems, devices, or applications to exchange and use data or information.
• Interoperability can be achieved through standards, protocols, policies, and governance that enable data sharing and collaboration.
• Interoperability can be applied to various domains, such as health care, education, social welfare, justice, and public safety.

• Interoperability can improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of human services by enabling data-driven decision making, coordination, and innovation.
• Interoperability can enhance the experience and outcomes of people and communities who receive human services by enabling person-centered, holistic (360), and integrated care and support.
• Interoperability can empower people and communities to access, control, and use their own data and information to improve their well-being and self-determination.

• In health care, interoperability can enable electronic health records, telehealth, and health information exchange, which can improve access, quality, and safety of care.
• In education, interoperability can enable learning management systems, digital badges, and learning analytics, which can improve learning outcomes, engagement, and equity.
• In social welfare, interoperability can enable case management systems, eligibility determination, and outcome measurement, which can improve service delivery, accountability, and impact.

One of the key challenges of interoperability is to ensure that different systems and applications can communicate and exchange data in a standardized and reliable way. This is especially important in health care, where data quality and accuracy can have life-saving implications. To address this challenge, the Health Level Seven (HL7) International organization has developed a set of standards and protocols for health information exchange, which are widely adopted by the health care industry.

One of the most recent and innovative standards developed by HL7 is the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR), which aims to simplify the implementation of interoperability and enable the use of web-based technologies such as Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). FHIR defines a common format and structure for health data, as well as a set of rules and methods for accessing and exchanging data across different systems and platforms. FHIR can support a variety of use cases, such as clinical care, research, public health, and personal health management.

The benefit of FHIR is that it can facilitate the seamless and secure flow of health information among different stakeholders, such as patients, providers, payers, researchers, and regulators. FHIR can also enable the development of innovative applications and services that can enhance the quality and efficiency of health care delivery, as well as empower patients to access and manage their own health data. FHIR is an open and evolving standard that can accommodate the changing needs and expectations of the health care sector.

https://www.healthit.gov/topic/standards-technology/standards/fhir 

Early Learning including Child Care is a vast ecosystem of disparate mixed system delivery. With 1,000s of technology companies all wanting to be in the mix. The multitude of funding in this space is healthy. However, similar to healthcare, and why HL7/FHIR was created is to further the ability of systems (data and workflow) to work better together.

The systems in Child Care span from digital search, business management (Child Care Management Systems), subsidy management, licensing, technical assistance, inspection management, and more. 

The need here is creating data standards and a data exchange for interoperability enabling all systems and the data to without bias move freely between systems (state, federal and private). Clear guidance (data strategy) will be needed to speak Into ensuring the actual data collected and shared is equitable and moves towards human justice.

Borrowing from HL7, we expect SocialCare IOP to make significant changes in the early learning and child care industry by enhancing interoperability and facilitating the seamless exchange of provider, family and state data between different Social Care systems and devices. We expect to measure this change with specific goals in each of these areas.

• Improved Interoperability: Provide a common language and framework for Social Care systems to communicate and share data, enabling better coordination and comprehensive data (availability, subsidy, price, etc.) across different providers and systems.
• Enhanced Social Care: By ensuring that all Social Care providers have access to complete and accurate systems data (provider, family and state), we will create a more informed decision-making, leading to better child outcomes and higher family and provider satisfaction.
• Reduced Errors and Costs: Borrowing from HL7, the standardized messaging format will minimize the need for manual data entry, reducing errors and costs associated with duplication (family/child entry info, provider tracking, state sys- tems).
• Increased Efficiency: The automation of the data exchange and integration enabled by our thinking will streamlines communication between all Social Care systems, reducing administrative burdens and improving the overall efficiency of Social Care delivery.
• Support for Research and Innovation: We want to facilitate the collection and analysis of large-scale system and state data, which is crucial for research efforts and the development of new cross sector opportunities (e.g. CARE, Mission Dri- ven Finance.
• Global Standardization: We expect to build internationally accepted standards to promote consistency in Social Care data exchange across different states, countries and Social Care organizations, making it easier to share data and best practices globally.

We expect IOP to play a critical role in the continued modernizing of Social Care by enabling the efficient and secure ex- change of data, ultimately leading to better care and more effective Social Care systems and workflows.

Short visual to help understand the possibilities.

https://www.loom.com/share/d5a9be54e454492fb5898394adb9bfcb?sid=6570d0d3-8f2f-415e-86d7-f6677c265553

Reducing Burdens on Childcare Providers

Findings from a review of state childcare licensing in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Full Report: https://bit.ly/3A76t74