A data-gathering broker as a future-orientated approach to supporting EPR users.
With the continued expansion of electronic patient record systems ahead of comprehensive evidence, metrics, or future-proofing, health informatics in Europe and beyond is embarking on a faith-driven adventure that also risks data swamping of end-users. An alternative approach is an information broker system, drawing from departmental data sources. A 3-year study in health and social care has produced a first demonstrator which can search for specified information in heterogeneous distributed data stores, with source-specific permission can copy it, and then merge the search results into one integrated picture in a real-time process which is also captured in an audit system. The research project has addressed a number of issues during the study, including updating the concepts of role-based access, semantic interoperability, and harnessing web-based services bound at the time of need. A demonstrator now exists, and provides a platform for further application and development research. This paper summarises how this opens up a viable alternative approach for the next generation of health record systems, enabling record searching and integration as and when it is needed for specific patient-related purposes, whilst being independent of organisations, diagnostic approaches, or service delivery structures, and reducing the risks of data swamping.
Rigby
Michael
M
Centre for Health Planning and Management, Darwin Building, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, UK. m.j.rigby@hpm.keele.ac.uk
Budgen
David
D
Turner
Mark
M
Kotsiopoulos
Ioannis
I
Brereton
Pearl
P
Keane
John
J
Bennett
Keith
K
Russell
Michelle
M
Layzell
Paul
P
Zhu
Fujun
F
D022126:Access to Information; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D006801:Humans; D019451:Information Management / Q000379:methods*; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D020407:Internet; D008491:Medical Informatics Applications; D016347:Medical Records Systems, Computerized / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012984:Software