Integrating the healthcare enterprise process

Abstract

Integrating the healthcare enterprise (IHE) is an initiative where healthcare professionals and industry providers work together to improve the way healthcare computer systems share information and achieve a high level of interoperability. With IHE, the care providers identify the needs for integration, and manufacturers implement solutions, providing systems that communicate better, are easier to deploy and less expensive to maintain. Successfully implemented in such clinical domains as radiology, laboratory services and cardiology, IHE is expanding into new domains, such as ophthalmology and medical devices, and solving integration problems common to all clinical domains, including patient management, order management, registry, security and document sharing. In this paper, we describe and analyse the collaborative and rigorous IHE process that delivers faster, more efficient and cost-effective systems integration and show how IHE can help healthcare policymakers, executives, and professionals to achieve optimal patient care.