eHealth Collaboratory

We know about the eHealth collaboratory - it's an initiative funded by Infoway and hosted by University Health Network in Toronto. The intent is to host a set of applications which can be tested for conformance against specific messaging profiles. So they can host a CR, for example, and prove that it conforms to a particular HL7 specification

Active and Passive EMPI

Passive (or “back-end”) Integration: This mode is typically used to pass client data
“updates” from the various stakeholder systems to the EMPI. Where feasible, data should be exchanged using a transaction message-based approach (store and forward) with HL7 as the application protocol. The integration would use an interface engine (i.e., message broker), delivering messages either in real time or batch. The proposed solution must account for possibly taking the data from a stakeholder application and formatting it into HL7 messages.

Active (or “front-end) Integration: This mode is typically used when integrating the EMPI search components with the existing stakeholder ADT systems. There are basically two implementation options available. The 1st available option (non-invasive) involves integrating the EMPI and stakeholder system presentation services through the use of a scripting or screen scraping technology. The 2nd available option (invasive) involves modifying the stakeholder system to access the EMPI through HL7 query response messaging or published API’s.

Active vs Passive Integration

Passive and Active Mode

Passive mode implementation involves the setup of real-time ADT (admissions, discharge and transfer) transactions from a registration system through an interface engine to an EMPI. We use the HBOC STAR registration system for our five hospitals and clinics.

In Feb. 1999, passive mode gave us a database of patients across all enterprise systems updated in real-time with a unique enterprise identifier assigned to each individual. This allowed us to have real-time reports of potential duplicates, improving data quality and patient identification. The EMPI database now houses close to 1 million records and handles 1,500 ADT transactions a day.

Active integration involves connecting the EMPI with all systems. "Active front-end integration is the most difficult and time consuming part of any EMPI implementation," says Mike Epplen, vice president of product management, Healthcare.com. "True front-end integration allows an EMPI to act as an enabler of other enterprise systems and creates a standardized way for collecting, transferring and reporting information."

Through active integration with Saint Alphonsus' registration and practice management systems, the EMPI searches its enterprise-wide database. Patients are identified in real time at registration and users receive the most up-to-date demographic information. The data is automatically pulled into Saint Alphonsus' registration system, reducing the creation of duplicate records and the need to rekey information.


From http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DUD/is_4_22/ai_73232319