Updated: Aug 26, 1998
This is the most recent structured information on this project. Complementary data can be found on previous documents
EHCR Electronic Healthcare Records

Overview

This Support Action proposes:

to disseminate the results of 3rd Framework EHCR Architecture projects and of the EHCR standardisation work of CEN to user groups in all countries of the EU;

to provide expert advice and training to user groups to encourage good practice in the use of electronic healthcare records.

to provide a maintenance mechanism to collect feedback of experience of the use of structured EHCRs in the field and to propose improvements to the Architectures to the 4th Framework follow-on projects and CEN.

The Architectures to be considered are:

(i) GEHR, (ii) Other architectures identified by CEN as candidates for standardisation.

The widespread use of EHCR application systems based on common architectures brings the promise of improved patient care and will stimulate the demand for the production of suitable systems by European software vendors. Good quality, communicable healthcare information would then be available securely to all professionals caring for the patient, improving the efficiency of the delivery of healthcare.

Purpose and objectives

This Support Action proposes:

• to disseminate the results of 3rd Framework EHCR Architecture projects1 and of the standardisation work of CEN to user groups2 in all countries of the EU;
• to provide expert advice and training to user groups to encourage good practice in the use of electronic healthcare records.
• to provide a maintenance mechanism to collect feedback of experience of the use of structured EHCRs in the field and to propose improvements to the Architectures to the 4th Framework follow-on projects and CEN.

Note 2: The groups of users to be supported by EHCR-SupA are:
(i) end users, (ii) system developers,.

In EHCR-SupA, deliverables and further explanatory and training materials will be produced and disseminated in a number of formats. Suitable persons will be trained to promote the Architectures and to advise on their use in all the countries of the EU.

The dissemination of the Architectures to user groups will focus on contact through workshops and presentations to national clinical professional organisations, governmental bodies, health information systems institutes and companies. The support of validation measures will concentrate on providing a central co-ordination of information on user experience of implementation and application of the Architectures and Exchange Formats in clinical practice.

A peer review panel will be appointed to review the deliverables of the project. Members will include representatives of the EHCR Systems Industry, CEN, and non-industrial organisations including those involved in Terminology (e.g. Dr Rossi-Mori) and Modelling (e.g Prof Cohen).

EHCR-SupA will review and co-ordinate the updating of the Architectures through operational experience and clinician feedback, using formal methods of change control. It will develop also technical methods for assessing compliance of implementations to the definition of the Architectures.

The Support Action will provide a mechanism to feed this information into continuing support of the CEN work on standardisation of health record architectures. As part of the peer-review process, a direct link will be formed with the appropriate CEN Working Group leader. The Support Action will also propose a mechanism, harmonised with CEN, for the continuing support and refinement of the Architecture.

The widespread use of EHCR application systems based on common architectures brings the promise of improved patient care and will stimulate the demand for the production of suitable systems by European software vendors. Good quality, communicable healthcare information would then be available securely to all professionals caring for the patient, improving the efficiency of the delivery of healthcare.

Results

If EHCR architectures like GEHR are to be adopted as a common Architecture for Electronic Healthcare Records, it is essential that a single identified body is made responsible for its development and maintenance through agreed mechanisms of interaction and co-ordination with users in the field. It is also essential to maintain good quality feedback to CEN on the progress of adopting its early EHCR standards so as to inform the later standards-making activity. The management of any change to the architecture will need to be co-ordinated carefully with EHCR systems providers to minimise the inevitable costs of changing application systems. Similarly, it will be essential to avoid the costs to users of uncoordinated changes to their systems.

List of deliverables

Year 1

• D 0.1 4m Completed technical annex with final workpackages, responsibilities, resource allocation, Quality Assurance measures, peer review panels identified. R
• D 1.1 6m Interim: Consolidated list of requirements R
• D 1.2 6m Interim: Scenarios. R
• D 1.3 6m Initial collation of contacts, systems and software reviewed. R
• D 1.4 12m Draft functional specification. R
• D 1.5 12m Summary of use and experience. R
• D 2.1 6-monthly awareness packs. P
• D 2.7 12m List of meetings held and of dissemination work done and planned. R
• D 3.1 6m Critique of ENV 12265; Disposition of Issues; GEHR version 2.0; P
• D 3.2 Interim report to CEN. R
• D 4.1 12m Initial implementation guidelines R
• D 5.1 4m Overall project management plan R
• D 5.2 4m Quality management Plan R

Year 2

• D 1.6 18m Consolidated list of Requirements; Scenarios P
• D 1.7 24m Final functional specification. P
• D 1.8 Final collation of contacts, systems and software reviewed on CDROM/Web. P
• D 2.7 24m List of meetings held and of dissemination work done and planned. R
• D 3.3 12m Thorough architecture review R
• D 3.4 18m 1st Draft Architecture R
• D 3.5 24m Consolidation of feedback R
• D 4.2 18m Multi-media scenario presentations R
• D 4.3 24m Illustrative EHCR demonstrations P
• D 5.3 18m Review of Quality Management Plan R

Year 3

• D 2.2 30m Final Awareness pack. P
• D 2.3 annual list of workshop activities with copies of the programmes and summaries of presentations made. R
• D 2.4 30m Final list of workshop activities with copies of the programmes and summaries of presentations made including report of a final national workshop held in each member state or group including programme and full proceedings.P
• D 2.5 reports of participation in project group 1 meetings. R
• D 2.6 30m Guidelines on Interpretation. R
• D 2.7 30m List of meetings held and of dissemination work done and planned. R
• D 3.6 30m Consolidation of experience at prototyping; R
• D 3.7 Final draft Architecture; P
• D 3.8 Final proposal to CEN. P
• D 4.4 30m Guidelines on EHCRA implementation P

List of participants

	Copyright 1998 © EHTO All rights reserved This server is the only official EHTO WWW knowledge repository. Mail suggestions to: webmaster@ehto.org