System Integration

System Integration

Introduction: integrating the HER, i.e., enabling the HER and oter software applications to exhchange data with each other without loss of meaning or accuracy, is one the critical tasks of the HER implementation and of ongoing production support

- integrate the HER begins with defining the components to be integrated.

- The HER system is a suite of applications that share a common DB. It may include scheduling, registration, OP HER, IP HER, A&E EHR, ADT, Phamarcy, Lab billingm and other apps.

- Ancillary applications are external to the HER system, but send infomrationto the suite’s DB (eg laboratory and pathology results) and may receive information from it (e.g. patient demographics)

- HER integration has a dual focus:

n First, on establishing interfaces with ancillary apps.

n Second on integrating data definitions and shared S/W function within the HER system

- Ancillary Apps.

n Integration of ancillary apps is essential to the success of the EHR’s usabilibty and reliability

n Interfaces with laboratory results, ancillary patient registeration, radiology results etc.

- Back-end work – interfaces results from ancillary apps.

n Textual reports should display the most pertinent information first

n Formatted information displays from ancillary apps should be as readable in the HER as they are in the originating applications

Technical interface considerations:

- Decide what data should be stored in the HER databases and what should remain in ancillary apps.

- Document the specifications for each interface

n This documentation should identify each data item and aggregate data flow. Data needs of various stakeholders is best to interface every data field and then use the interface engine to control which fields actually enter the HER

- Active, continuing management of error logs in necessary to assure the integrity of the data in EHR.

n Analyzes the logs, designs a process for handling the errors, monitor the logs and resolve the erros

n When system served only outpatient practices, monitored and the outpatient HER logs once daily, mon to fri. The IP HER, monitor the logs every 4 hours, seven days a week.

n develop a detailed testing scenario for every interface message type sent and received

- Integrating the EHR DB

n Data integration among the applications that share the single HER DB

n Detailed analysis needs to confirm that shared data fields have the same definition and use in the vaiour HER applications before the development, population and maintnenance of the data tables

- Integratd Application testing

n Ensures that new and existing S/W functions perform well together.

n 1^st, tst within the app

n 2^nd test the functions across the apps to the HER systems

n Test plan will help to identify testing dependencies and prerequistites

n Scenario-based testing ensures that recommended workflows are functional throughout the HER system