What is an essential requirement for EHR systems to be considered interoperable?

For electronic health record (EHR) systems to achieve interoperability, they must be capable of exchanging and utilizing data across various systems. This means that EHRs should not operate in isolation; rather, they need to facilitate seamless communication between different healthcare providers, organizations, and even different software solutions.

Interoperability allows for the sharing of patient information regardless of where that information is stored or the types of systems being used. This capability is crucial for enhancing care coordination, reducing errors, and improving patient outcomes, as healthcare providers can access a comprehensive view of a patient's history and treatment plans from various sources.

The other options do not capture this fundamental aspect of interoperability. For example, limiting access to only one healthcare provider (like the first option) goes against the principle of data sharing and communication across various platforms. A requirement for paper backup (the third option) does not relate to the digital exchange of information, and the notion of only storing patient information (the fourth option) overlooks the vital function of actively sharing and using that information across interdisciplinary care teams and systems.