Data standards and interoperability for health

Abstract The need for improved pandemic and epidemic intelligence has underlined the significance of data standardisation in global health. This report examines the role of standardized frameworks in enabling seamless data exchange, facilitating real-time information sharing, and improving global coordination during public health emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored longstanding deficiencies in data interoperability that had already been identified in health systems and prior public health emergencies, both within and across countries. However, the pandemic brought unprecedented visibility and urgency to these issues, highlighting the critical need for global data standards such as HL7® FHIR® (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), SNOMED CT, LOINC, and ICD. The adoption of these standards can enhance health systems' ability to exchange data promptly and accurately on an international scale, thereby improving preparedness and responsiveness. Established guidance like the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) data principles and existing specifications like the International Patient Summary (IPS), among others, have supported the development of interoperable global health systems, lowered research redundancy and enhanced data quality. The adoption of such guidance and standards can contribute to enhancing scalable digital health initiatives and promoting international cooperation. The report emphasizes the need for robust digital health infrastructure to address future pandemics. It underscores the continuous endeavours of organisations such as WHO (with the SMART guidelines initiative) and HL7 (with the standards like FHIR®) to standardise data sharing and enhance global health outcomes. Despite ongoing issues related to privacy and scalability, the implementation of global standards is essential for enhancing pandemic and epidemic intelligence and fortifying global health systems.