Interoperability in healthcare: How care navigation platforms build connected care journeys

In today’s healthcare landscape, patients move between countless physical and digital touchpoints, from primary care appointments to ED visits, online symptom checkers to nurse call centers, telehealth visits to interactions on patient portals, and so on. The list of touchpoints is endless. Yet too often, these systems operate in silos, creating gaps that slow care, frustrate both patients and clinicians, and aggravate inefficiencies for the healthcare system as a whole.

At Infermedica, we believe that truly connected care depends on bridging those gaps.

Great care navigation software integrates seamlessly with existing and emerging healthcare touchpoints. It guides patients to the right level of care while keeping every provider and department aligned. It turns fragmented patient interactions into smooth, intelligent, and connected care journeys.

From first symptom to the right care

When a patient has concerns about their health, their first step might be an online symptom checker or a call to a nurse advice line. From there, they could be guided to a telehealth visit, an in-person consultation, the emergency department, or given information on how to self-care at home, depending on what’s most appropriate.

This is where a care navigation tool proves its value.

Smart virtual triage technology acts as the compass in this complex landscape, assessing patient needs and directing each person toward the right care option. Whether used by the patient, a nurse, or physician, it simplifies decision-making, supporting both patients and clinicians with the context they need to act quickly and confidently.

Read more about the patient benefits of AI care navigation services.

The integration advantage: Making interoperability work for everyone

When various healthcare touchpoints don’t communicate, everyone feels it. Patients have to repeat the same information at every step. Clinicians waste time chasing records or re-entering data that already exists elsewhere. Appointments are delayed, important health insights are lost, and care feels disjointed and impersonal.

Behind every smooth patient journey, however, is a network of systems quietly sharing data and context.

That’s interoperability in action. It’s the ability for digital tools like EHRs, telehealth platforms, and patient portals to work together without friction—and to communicate with physical touchpoints in a standardized manner that makes life easier for all involved.

When a care navigation platform integrates with these systems, it eliminates the silos that slow care and confuse patients. Symptoms and triage recommendations are transferred directly to EHRs; patients move from online guidance to teleconsultation without repeating their symptoms; clinicians have access to patient records including medical history and risk factors to make more informed-decisions, and administrators can see the full picture of how people use services in order to allocate resources or make improvements.

Interoperability ensures that every interaction—from symptom to outcome—becomes part of one continuous, coordinated care experience. Read about the advantages of care navigation platforms for patients, providers, and healthcare organizations. 

Connected care in action: A patient journey

Imagine a patient named Maya who wakes up with a mild fever and decides to use her healthcare provider’s online symptom checker. The virtual triage assesses her answers and, based on her presenting symptoms, risk factors, and medical history, recommends a same-day telehealth consultation. When she connects with the physician, all her information is already available in her EHR, allowing the doctor to make a quick, informed diagnosis.

A week later, a follow-up message is sent to Maya to check-in on her status. She completes the online symptom checker and the results automatically update across all systems—no extra forms, no repeated explanations.

Every step, from first concern to diagnose to follow-up care, feels coordinated and personal.

The future of connected care

Interoperability isn’t just a technical goal, it’s the foundation for healthcare that feels cohesive, personal, and proactive.

As more organizations integrate digital touchpoints and AI-driven technology into their systems, it’s more important than ever that these tools communicate with each other and work as one unified system.

From symptom assessment to follow-up, from prevention to education, transparency and connectivity is essential. A healthcare system that’s truly connected anticipates needs instead of reacting to them, empowers patients to take an active role in their health, and allows physicians to focus on care delivery rather than administrative tasks.

The future of connected care starts with one simple principle: every system, working together, to improve healthcare outcomes.

BL/EN/2025/11/21/1