Governing personal health information sharing in an integrated care partnership

Abstract Purpose : This study examines how members of an integrated care partnership described the responsibilities and arrangements associated with workable and constrained sharing of personal health information across organizations. Design/methodology/approach : Eighteen of 26 members of the Guelph Wellington Ontario Health Team Privacy and Security Working Group completed an email questionnaire, and all 18 later joined a 60-minute Zoom group session with four additional attendees. An adapted nominal group technique clarified and refined preliminary themes, followed by abductive analysis using institutional logics and the concept of compatibility. Findings : Participants described sharing as more workable when the purpose, recipients, permissions and organizational responsibilities for an exchange were sufficiently defined. Safeguards, technical connections and established relationships also supported workable arrangements. The analysis distinguished legal knowledge gaps from risk aversion, technical integration from governance issues, and viewing information from contributing it. Research limitations/implications : The study reflects one regional working group and participants’ accounts were not independently verified. Patients were not recruited. Future research should follow specific sharing arrangements longitudinally and compare governance and implementation approaches across settings. Practical implications : Managers should diagnose barriers at the level of the specific information-sharing task, distinguish authorization from technical and operational constraints, assess whether shared services support both access and contribution, and use common preparation where organizations face similar requirements. Originality/value : The study applies institutional compatibility to specific information exchanges rather than whole organizations and distinguishes availability, authorization and operational capacity as separate conditions for participation.