The challenges of cross-organizational patient data sharing in medical consortium: a study within the context of two-way referral systems

Objective. Under the background of two-way referral in medical consortium, the provision of high-quality hierarchical care requires active integration and cross-organizational sharing of patient data. However, cross-organizational data sharing among hospitals is not always spontaneous, comprehensive, and effective. Methods. This paper reports on a research study aiming to identify the barriers of patient data sharing. Due to the exploratory nature of this study, two medical consortiums in central China were chosen to conduct a case study. Specifically, a mixed qualitative-quantitative approach was employed for the case study analysis and verification. Conclusions. The analysis of qualitative interview data pointed to 27 barriers of data sharing under three main themes: psychological ownership; territorial behaviours; cross-organizational dynamism. The quantitative Kano analysis revealed the manifestation of these barriers, and their prioritization were classified into four types: must-be, one-dimensional, attractive, and indifference. Implications. This study provides valuable references for enhancing the effectiveness of patient data sharing and optimizing the allocation of healthcare resources. The case setting is based on China’s medical consortium, but the findings offer useful insights and indications that can be shared across international borders.