Medical Device Link.

With an increasing national focus on the need to bring medical information into the digital age as backdrop, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS; Chicago) once again devoted a major portion of its recently held conference and exhibition to the organization’s connectivity and interoperability initiative known as Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE).

IHE was launched in 1998 by HIMSS and the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA; Oak Brook, IL). The effort has since been joined by the American College of Cardiology (ACC; Bethesda, MD), which is now a sponsor. Since its formation, IHE has sought to facilitate the introduction and improvement of computer systems that enable the collection, transfer, and storage of vital clinical information. The initiative emphasizes the adoption of industrywide standards that can be systematically implemented across the many local- and wide-area networks that make up the healthcare enterprise.

IHE does not create connectivity standards, but is a prime force in the promotion and adoption of medical IT and communications standards that address specific clinical needs . The many proponents of the initiative assert that systems developed in conjunction with IHE offer enhanced communication capability, are easier to implement, and enable more efficient and effective use of healthcare information.

IHE has achieved its greatest success in radiology and is making steady inroads in other areas, including cardiology, laboratory medicine, medication management, and the underlying medical IT infrastructure.

This year’s HIMSS event in Dallas featured two IHE demonstration areas: the ambulatory care showcase and the cross-enterprise showcase. Each area featured hands-on exhibits that enabled clinicians to experience the benefits of using standards-based, interoperable electronic health records (EHRs). EHR systems displayed on the exhibit floor demonstrated their utility for communicating and exchanging medical information, including radiology images, laboratory results, and cardiology reports, across both acute- and ambulatory-care settings.

The show also featured many real-world examples of medical institutions that have successfully implemented the core framework of IHE and were experiencing benefits in workflow efficiency, patient safety, and reduced operational costs. Participating facilities included the Veterans Administration, Montefiore Medical Center in New York, and the University of Wisconsin Medical Center.

ONCHIT’s Brailer: Accelerating adoption.

David J. Brailer, MD, PhD, the U.S. coordinator for health information technology and a keynote speaker at the event, lauded HIMSS for its “leadership role in demonstrating the application of cross-enterprise interoperability.” Brailer cited the demonstrations at HIMSS as offering a real perspective on the need to “foster regional collaborations for clinical data exchange to accelerate the adoption of interoperable electronic health records across America.”

HIMSS 2005 drew more than 20,000 attendees from more than 50 countries, and featured 703 exhibitors displaying products, equipment, and systems. Product pavilions included patient safety, data security, wireless and mobility, and managing the business of healthcare.

While 32 vendors participated in the interoperability showcases, most were medical IT, networking, and communications suppliers. A few big-name medtech companies were on hand, including GE Healthcare (Chalfont St. Giles, UK) and Siemens Medical Solutions (Erlangen, Germany), but most of the medical device industry was—again—conspicuously absent.

In what could be a wake-up call for medtech manufacturers, however, a HIMSS-sponsored survey released at the show revealed that 53% of the respondents consider medical devices a prime area of interest for clinical connectivity and systems interoperability.

© 2005 Canon Communications LLC

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