Yes, It Really Can be Done!

Just a short posting to provide a URL for a fascinating ten minute downloadable video that explains what the Dutch have been up to in e-Health over the last few years!

The video describes AORTA which is the Dutch national infrastructure for the exchange of data between healthcare providers. The infrastructure specifications include a description of technical, organizational as well as implementation aspects. The focus of this program is to facilitate the realization of a national "continuity of care" oriented EHR. AORTA uses HL7 version 3 messages and documents as its core mechanism for information exchange.

Depending on your media preference you have a choice of formats.

AORTA introductory video (in English, 10 minutes),

http://www.uzi-register.nl/media/EMD_WDH_EN_256K.wmv (Windows Media file)

or

http://www.uzi-register.nl/media/EMD_WDH_EN_H264%20.mov (Apple Quicktime).

Vastly more information and detail on the project can be found at:

http://www.ringholm.de/docs/00980_en.htm

The author is René Spronk - Sr.Consultant, Ringholm GmbH

The current document status: Draft, version 0.5 (2007-01-01).

I commend this article and indeed the Ringholm site for a careful browse and review.

There are all sorts of lessons for Australia I believe here. The approach to security and privacy I found was especially pragmatic and robust.

I find it fascinating that the Dutch have committed so robustly to making HL7 V3.0 and CDA R2 work – despite it not being totally finalised – and seem to be having considerable success. This is encouraging news.

David.