E-health and Healthcare Enterprise Information System leveraging service-oriented architecture
Journal
Telemedicine and e-Health
Journal Volume
18
Journal Issue
3
Pages
205-212
Date Issued
2012
Author(s)
Abstract
Objective: To present the successful experiences of an integrated, collaborative, distributed, large-scale enterprise healthcare information system over a wired and wireless infrastructure in National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH). In order to smoothly and sequentially transfer from the complex relations among the old (legacy) systems to the new-generation enterprise healthcare information system, we adopted the multitier framework based on service-oriented architecture to integrate the heterogeneous systems as well as to interoperate among many other components and multiple databases. We also present mechanisms of a logical layer reusability approach and data (message) exchange flow via Health Level 7 (HL7) middleware, DICOM standard, and the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise workflow. The architecture and protocols of the NTUH enterprise healthcare information system, especially in the Inpatient Information System (IIS), are discussed in detail. Implementation: The NTUH Inpatient Healthcare Information System is designed and deployed on service-oriented architecture middleware frameworks. The mechanisms of integration as well as interoperability among the components and the multiple databases apply the HL7 standards for data exchanges, which are embedded in XML formats, and Microsoft .NET Web services to integrate heterogeneous platforms. Measurements: The preliminary performance of the current operation IIS is evaluated and analyzed to verify the efficiency and effectiveness of the designed architecture; it shows reliability and robustness in the highly demanding traffic environment of NTUH. Conclusions: The newly developed NTUH IIS provides an open and flexible environment not only to share medical information easily among other branch hospitals, but also to reduce the cost of maintenance. The HL7 message standard is widely adopted to cover all data exchanges in the system. All services are independent modules that enable the system to be deployed and configured to the highest degree of flexibility. Furthermore, we can conclude that the multitier Inpatient Healthcare Information System has been designed successfully and in a collaborative manner, based on the index of performance evaluations, central processing unit, and memory utilizations. ? Copyright 2012, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 2012.
Subjects
e-health; information management; medical records; technology
SDGs
Other Subjects
Cost of maintenance; Degree of flexibility; Ehealth; Enterprise information system; Exchange flow; Flexible environments; Health care information system; Health level 7; Heterogeneous platforms; Heterogeneous systems; Integrating the healthcare enterprise; Medical information; Medical record; Memory utilization; Microsoft .NET; Middleware frameworks; Multi-tier; National Taiwan University; Performance evaluation; Reliability and robustness; Traffic environment; Wired and wireless; XML format; Electronic data interchange; Health; Health care; Hospitals; Industry; Information management; Information services; Legacy systems; Middleware; Network architecture; Program processors; Reusability; Service oriented architecture (SOA); Technology; Web services; Information systems; article; computer program; data base; electronic medical record; hospital information system; human; instrumentation; integrated health care system; methodology; organization and management; Taiwan; telemedicine; Database Management Systems; Delivery of Health Care, Integrated; Hospital Information Systems; Humans; Medical Records Systems, Computerized; Software; Taiwan; Telemedicine
Type
journal article