Global healthcare needs to speak a common language to tackle the challenge of COVID-19 | Healthcare…

COVID-19 has revealed a lot about the world we live in. It has reinforced the possibilities that open up when we collaborate and come together, united towards a common cause; in this case, of defeating the spread of SARS-CoV-2 says Atif Al Braiki, CEO, Abu Dhabi Health Data Services LLC (Malaffi). The pandemic has drawn attention to the inadequacies of the world’s data sharing frameworks. It has highlighted the lack of interoperability (the ability of computer systems to exchange information and operate in conjunction with each other) of many medical systems used by public and private providers, laboratories, and pharmacies globally. As a result, data exchange within a healthcare system, which utilises different data sharing frameworks, is not as streamlined as it should be. From the number of beds to the level of occupancy, the world is struggling to pool data from disparate and complex systems into one centralised location. By reshaping the way this crucial data is collated, analysed and disseminated into a coherent and easily accessible system, we will give healthcare professionals the tools they need to tackle the current crisis, and any we may face in the future.