Breaking the Paper Chains: Why Interoperability Matters for Pakistan’s Healthcare Future

Pakistan’s healthcare system is at a crossroads. With a population of nearly 250 million, the demand for efficient, accessible, and modern healthcare has never been greater. While hospitals and clinics are beginning to adopt digital tools, the lack of interoperability continues to hold the sector back.

Walk into most government hospitals or small clinics, and you’ll still find rows of dusty cabinets filled with paper files. Patients often repeat tests and consultations because their medical history isn’t shared across facilities. This outdated system wastes time, increases costs, and leaves patients vulnerable to errors.

Digitising records is no longer optional—it’s essential. But digitisation alone won’t solve the problem. What Pakistan truly needs is interoperable systems: databases that can communicate, standards that align, and workflows that connect across hospitals, labs, pharmacies, and insurers. Without this, digital health tools remain isolated silos rather than part of a cohesive ecosystem.

The absence of a unified national policy adds to the challenge. There are no enforced standards for electronic health records, no framework for interoperability, and no governing authority to ensure compliance. As a result, hospitals and startups often build proprietary systems that cannot share data, creating the next generation of digital silos.

Consider the irony: Pakistan’s financial and telecom sectors have embraced real-time digital ecosystems, yet healthcare remains stuck in pen-and-paper practices. Even where digital platforms exist, they often operate independently, storing data in formats that don’t align with global standards like HL7 or FHIR.

This fragmentation has serious consequences. A patient may consult through a telemedicine app, get lab results from another platform, and purchase medicines via an e-pharmacy—yet none of these systems can synchronize data. The result is digital chaos that mirrors the inefficiencies of manual records.

Despite these challenges, there is hope. HealthTech startups are emerging across Pakistan, offering teleconsultations, e-pharmacy solutions, and hospital management systems. These innovations show that the sector is ready to evolve. However, without a national roadmap and interoperability standards, progress will remain limited.

To truly transform healthcare, Pakistan must prioritize interoperability. Connected systems will enable continuity of care, reduce costs, improve patient safety, and empower policymakers with real-time insights. Only then can healthcare data become actionable, driving better outcomes for patients and building trust in the system.

Digitising healthcare is not just about technology—it’s about creating a backbone of trust, efficiency, and equity. For Pakistan, the future of healthcare depends on breaking the paper chains and building a unified digital ecosystem that serves everyone.