KEYWORDS: Radiology, Medicine, Information technology, Cardiology, System integration, Picture Archiving and Communication System, Standards development, Image storage, Image processing, Information fusion
The failures we have all experienced in attempts to fully integrate systems have long been a significant stumbling block to reaching the levels of department efficiency and convenience that we know are needed, desired and theoretically achievable in a modern Healthcare Enterprise. The problem is not a lack of Standards, but rather a lack of consistency and conformity in the way vendors apply the prevalent standards to solving specific problems. The Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Initiative has brought together key user and vendor representatives to document detailed technical descriptions, referred to as “Integration Profiles”, of how each system should participate in solutions to specific scenarios based on existing standards. This is followed up by intensive annual cross-vendor testing events called “Connectathons.” Now in its 6th year of development, the scope of IHE has expanded beyond its beginnings in Radiology to span additional domains including IT Infrastructure, Laboratory and Cardiology. IHE Connectathons are now being held in North America, Europe and Asia. IHE has proven itself to be an effective way to get vendors to cooperatively address the integration capabilities needed by healthcare facilities to reap the benefits of modern information technologies. The existing Integration Profiles, what they address, and an overview of current and upcoming IHE activities will be presented.
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