Adapting a System-Theoretic Hazard Analysis Method for the Analysis of an eHealth Interoperability Conformance Profile.

Interoperability between heterogenous (health) IT systems relies on standards, which are communicated to system vendors in the form of so-called conformance profiles. Clinical information systems are often subjected to mandatory conformance testing and certification prior to being admitted into the health information exchange (HIE). The requirements specified in conformance profiles are therefore instrumental for ensuring the correctness and safety of the emerging HIE network.

Applying Bidirectional Transformations to the Design of Interoperable EMR Systems.

Interoperability between heterogeneous health information systems has remained an elusive goal despite decades of exchange standards development and implementation initiatives. Empirical studies have shown that in many cases, implemented interoperability interfaces fail to function correctly. Unfortunately, the health informatics literature provides little guidance on how to best design and assure interoperability interfaces.

Taming the Data Quality Dragon--A Theory and Method for Data Quality by Design.

A lack of data quality (DQ) is often a significant inhibitor impeding the realization of cost and quality benefits expected from Clinical Information Systems (CIS). Attaining and sustaining DQ in CIS has been a multi-faceted and elusive goal. The current literature on DQ in health informatics mainly consists of empirical studies and practitioners' reports, but often lack a holistic approach to addressing DQ 'by design'.

Lead User Design: Medication Management in Electronic Medical Records.

Improvements in medication management may lead to a reduction of preventable errors. Usability and user experience issues are common and related to achieving benefits of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs). This paper reports on a novel study that combines the lead user method with a safety engineering review to discover an innovative design for the medication management module in EMRs in primary care.

Information System Hazard Analysis: A Method for Identifying Technology-induced Latent Errors for Safety.

Many health information and communication technologies (ICT) are safety-critical; moreover, reports of technology-induced adverse events related to them are plentiful in the literature. Despite repeated criticism and calls to action, recent data collected by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and other organization do not indicate significant improvements with respect to the safety of health ICT systems. A large part of the industry still operates on a reactive "break & patch" model; the application of pro-active, systematic hazard analysis methods for engineering ICT that produce "safe by design" products is sparse.

Multi-National, Multi-Institutional Analysis of Clinical Decision Support Data Needs to Inform Development of the HL7 Virtual Medical Record Standard.

An important barrier to the widespread dissemination of clinical decision support (CDS) is the heterogeneity of information models and terminologies used across healthcare institutions, health information systems, and CDS resources such as knowledge bases. To address this problem, the Health Level 7 (HL7) Virtual Medical Record project (an open, international standards development effort) is developing community consensus on the clinical information exchanged between CDS engines and clinical information systems. As a part of this effort, the HL7 CDS Work Group embarked on a multinational, collaborative effort to identify a representative set of clinical data elements required for CDS.