U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Medical Device Interoperability

Interoperability for medical devices refers to a device or system's ability to safely and effectively exchange as well as utilize the information with other devices, technologies, or systems. This information can then be analyzed, interpreted, displayed, stored, and acted upon or can be utilized to control another system. Interoperable medical devices help patient care improvement as well as reduce errors, thereby preventing adverse events. Interoperability in healthcare or medical data interoperability is the ability to exchange, use, and interpret patient data cohesively. It focuses on making the right data available to the right person at the right time and therefore improves the patient care significantly.