Interoperability as a key factor for digitalisation — a success story for cross-sector knowledge transfer

Abstract

Interoperability is a key requirement for the digitalisation of processes that involve different systems and sectors. Openly available specifications enable costeffective system integration across vendor and sector boundaries. Modern standards often include optional features to provide application and implementation flexibility to cover a wider filed. However, interoperability can be achieved only if the usage of optional features is harmonised across integrated systems. Use case specific integration profiles achieve exactly that. These profiles are compiled into a framework referring to a business domain to be harmoniously reused. They specify which features of which standard shall be used to design solutions (actors) that contribute to particular processes (transactions). A transparent profiling process involves all stakeholders, fosters friendly competition, achieves investment protection, ensures improved market acceptance, and increases product and solution smartness [1].The project IES Austria "Integrating the Energy System" [2] adapted the ISO TR 28380 profiling process established by Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) in the medical IT sector [3], where for example the European Health Data Space (EHDS) [4] and G. Franzl ( )