Interoperability in Australian healthcare: Taking practical steps towards a connected future
Yet, for many healthcare providers, achieving interoperability feels like a monumental task, from a people and process perspective; but perhaps most from a technical perspective, especially with the complexities of adopting and implementing standards such as FHIR and OMOP.
At Mantel Group, we understand the journey toward interoperability doesn’t require an all-or-nothing approach.
While FHIR is a robust framework for health data exchange, based on our experience it doesn’t cater for every use case, and it’s not the only pathway organisations can take.
For healthcare organisations struggling to justify the investment, we believe there’s a way to take meaningful steps toward interoperability now, without needing to go “all-in” on the likes of FHIR immediately.
Beyond FHIR: Understanding the journey to interoperability
FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) has garnered significant attention as a global standard for health data exchange. Its structured approach supports transactional use cases like real-time data sharing between healthcare applications, which enables better care coordination across the broader health ecosystem. However, mapping existing data sources to FHIR structures is a resource-intensive process, and many healthcare organisations are rightfully cautious about committing to it without clear mandates or net new value-driven use cases. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Another globally adopted healthcare standard, OMOP (Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership), offers an alternative to FHIR. Unlike FHIR, OMOP focuses on enabling analytical use cases by standardising clinical data for research and insights generation. For healthcare organisations aiming to make better use of patient data internally—such as personalised care and services—OMOP might offer a quicker path to return on investment.
Feature
FHIR
OMOP
Purpose
Interoperability standard
Research and analytics model
Focus
Real-time data exchange
Data standardisation
Use cases
Transactional & operational workflows
Analytical & research
Data model
Resource-based
Relational database schema
Primary users
Providers, developers, regulators
Researchers, data scientists
Building the business case for interoperability in Australia’s health industry
One of the most common challenges we hear from our healthcare clients is the difficulty in justifying the investment in interoperability solutions. Many organisations are skeptical about FHIR becoming mandated, or struggle to see the value of transactional use cases in the near-term. Instead, they focus on internal analytical use cases, such as improving patient segmentation or developing personalised offerings.
Our approach addresses this gap by:
Identifying incremental wins – take a Common Data Model approach first
Helping organisations map their current capabilities and data to smaller, achievable interoperability goals.
Prioritising analytical use cases
Leveraging frameworks like OMOP to enable better decision-making and immediate insights.
Preparing for future mandates
Laying the foundation for FHIR compliance gradually, ensuring organisations are ready for broader ecosystem interoperability when required.
The role of the ‘Share by Default’ Bill and the National Health Information Exchange
Recent legislative updates, such as the Health Legislation Amendment (Modernising My Health Record—Sharing by Default) Bill 2024, signal a shift towards ubiquitous data sharing. Initially focusing on pathology and diagnostic imaging results, this bill introduces “share by default” requirements to ensure critical health data is accessible to patients and their care teams.
Complementing this is the Australian Government’s National Health Information Exchange initiative, a key component of the broader digital health modernisation agenda. By uplifting the My Health Record platform and introducing infrastructure to support real-time health information flows, these initiatives underscore the growing importance of interoperability.
For healthcare providers, this presents both an opportunity and a challenge: preparing for a future where secure, effective digital interoperability is the norm.
At Mantel Group, we understand the complexities of achieving interoperability in healthcare. Our approach is rooted in practicality, meeting organisations where they are and providing solutions tailored to their needs
Incremental interoperability solutions
Support for organisations not ready for full FHIR compliance, focusing on enabling analytical use cases and improving internal data use.
Guidance on emerging standards
Experience in both FHIR and OMOP, as well traditional data modelling approaches, helping clients navigate the strengths and applications of each.
Strategic readiness for mandates
Building scalable, secure systems that position organisations for future compliance and broader ecosystem connectivity.
The time to act is now
While achieving full interoperability may feel like a long journey, the path to progress starts with small, deliberate steps. By focusing on immediate, tangible benefits—like enhanced patient insights and personalised care—healthcare organisations can begin to unlock the value of their data today while preparing for the future
At Mantel Group, we’re here to help you navigate this complex landscape. Whether you’re exploring analytical use cases, evaluating standards like FHIR and OMOP, or preparing for regulatory changes, we bring the expertise and practical solutions to make interoperability achievable.
Take the first step with a complimentary Interoperability Assessment led by our Healthcare Team. Click here to book your assessment today and start transforming the future of your healthcare organisation.
