Interoperability Skills for Digital Health: A Reference Model from the XiA Project
Clinical Snapshot
PICO Framework
| P — Population | Healthcare professionals working with Health Information Systems requiring interoperability skills |
| I — Intervention | Reference Model for Interoperability Skills developed through systematic literature review |
| C — Comparator | Current ad-hoc approaches to interoperability skills development |
| O — Outcomes | Structured competency framework for workforce development, curriculum design, and organizational capability assessment |
Bottom Line
This systematic review develops a Reference Model for Interoperability Skills to guide healthcare workforce development in digital health systems. While addressing a critical need for standardized competencies in health information system integration, the abstract provides insufficient methodological detail for robust critical appraisal. The European multi-country collaboration suggests broad applicability, but the lack of reported search strategy, quality assessment, and quantitative outcomes limits confidence in the findings. For Australian healthcare organizations implementing digital health initiatives, this framework may provide useful guidance for workforce planning, though local adaptation would be necessary to align with ADHA standards and Australian healthcare contexts. The model's utility will depend on validation studies and implementation research not evident from this abstract.
Key Findings
Effect Size: Not applicable - qualitative framework development
Primary Outcome: Reference Model for Interoperability Skills defining core competencies for healthcare professionals
Nnt Or Sensitivity: Not applicable - descriptive model rather than intervention study
Confidence Interval: Not reported
Clinical Application
High feasibility as framework tool, though implementation would require organizational commitment and resource allocation Relevant to Australian Digital Health Strategy and My Health Record interoperability initiatives, though European focus may require local adaptation for ADHA standards and RACGP digital health competencies Healthcare IT professionals, clinical informaticians, health information managers, and digital health implementation teams
Abstract
As healthcare systems advance through digital transformation, achieving interoperability across Health Information Systems (HIS) relies on skilled professionals who enable effective integration and data exchange. Under the scope of the Xpanding Innovative Alliance (XiA) project, this article introduces a Reference Model for Interoperability Skills that defines the core skills needed by professionals to support interoperable digital health ecosystems. Through a systematic literature review, the model provides a structured view of competencies across professional profiles, grounded in international best practices. The proposed model serves as a strategic tool for workforce development, curriculum design, and organizational capability assessment. By promoting a shared understanding of interoperability, it supports the creation of a skilled, adaptable, and collaborative workforce capable of advancing integrated, data-driven healthcare across Europe.
References
- 1.Hak, F., Moreira, A., Santos, M., Salazar, M., Elland, M.-L., Nizamieva, A., Juhas, M., Lambot, M.-A., Ahonen, O., Allegretti, N., Sá, J., Lewerenz, S., & Martins, H. (2026). Interoperability skills for digital health: A reference model from the XiA project. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics. https://doi.org/10.3233/SHTI260644
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