Healthcare information standards: comparison of the approaches

Abstract

Electronic transfer of healthcare record information between heterogeneous systems raises the need for healthcare information standards. Such standards improve the level of quality that healthcare organizations offer and also control the expenditure on healthcare services provided by these organizations. There are a large number of healthcare related applications that effectively support specific needs but are isolated or incompatible. There is an urgent need to integrate those applications or to interoperate between them, ensuring security concepts. The cost is another crucial aspect that should be considered in the integration of already implemented systems and the design of new systems. This paper aims to give a description of the current developed standards that can be used to provide interoperability in healthcare information systems and to make a short comparison between these standards, including the following: HL7, HL7’s CCOW, CEN/TC251 Healthcare Information System Architecture Standard. This paper also discusses a solution that is being developed in the Citizen Health System (CHS) project to achieve integration of data using a healthcare informatics standard. A test scenario to make some of the project’s modules visually interoperate is also implemented.

Electronic data interchange usage in China's healthcare organizations: the case of Beijing's hospitals

“…HL7 standards are widely accepted ''for the exchange, management and integration of data that support clinical patient care and the management, delivery and evaluation of healthcare services'' between healthcare information systems (HL7, 2002). In the US and many European countries, the HL7 standards have become the main EDI standard for healthcare systems (Spyrou et al, 2002). IT infrastructure inadequacy is another technological obstacle for EDI adoption.…”

Design principles for achieving integrated healthcare information systems

“…1,2 These systems are based on a common set of standards for information sharing and data exchange between systems, programs and institutions. 3–5 Their benefits relate to ensuring instant availability of all relevant information to healthcare providers, enabling cross-disciplinary communication and guaranteeing continuity of care, as well as automatic checking for drugs and other interactions. 4,5 Integrated healthcare information systems are conceived primarily as a combination of technological installations (e.g.…”

“…3–5 Their benefits relate to ensuring instant availability of all relevant information to healthcare providers, enabling cross-disciplinary communication and guaranteeing continuity of care, as well as automatic checking for drugs and other interactions. 4,5 Integrated healthcare information systems are conceived primarily as a combination of technological installations (e.g. information systems, networks, communication technologies) of an organization that, together with the human skills component, should be managed strategically.…”

Healthcare Information Management System in Home Environment

“…Also, a large number of healthcare related applications are available that effectively support specific needs but are isolated or incompatible. Ad hoc solutions to interface various components are expensive and time-consuming because systems use different platforms, programming languages and data formats [2]. In this context the paper introduces the healthcare information management system that supports integrated management of information such as environments, personal health and location based on healthcare home environment.…”