One of my key responsibilities involves data standards. If you have ever scanned products at a grocery store, you've used one of those standards. There is an active movement to modify the standards to meet the needs of healthcare.
There is an old communication adage that goes something like this:
"What you say may not be what the other person hears.
What you hear may not be what the other person means."
In order to be useful, standards must be universally accepted and understood. That is much harder than it seems. In a multi-lingual world, there are enormous challenges with interpretation and nuance. Communication is difficult even when you are speaking the same language. Even though English is spoken in both the US and UK, a "boot" or a "lift" hold two very different meanings. We even have major regional differences in the US.
The addition of computers to this equation adds yet another layer of complexity. Unlike a face-to-face encounter, computers are unable to detect contextual clues to help interpret what you really meant to say.
The good news is that the industry has recognized that this topic is important. Many major players have devoted time and resource to come up with potential solutions. It will be interesting to see how these initiatives develop through the years.
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