MERIT-9 is defined to
promote electronic exchange of referral documents on patient data, between healthcare
providers. Though test results, images are in HL7 and DICOM syntax, referral
documents
are in XML. HL7 or DICOM, JPEG contents are pointed from the XML documents. We plan
to make the MERIT-9 browser (XML browser, HL7 parser, etc.) free to be attached with the
referral documents.
Hamamatsu Univ. School of Medicine, Dept. of Medical Informatics
Project has been underway for between 1 and 2 years and is considered to be an alpha implementation.
It all depends how many of HIS vendors feel this kind of document standardization indispensable. To promote this, we are parsuading Ministry to encourage patient data electronic exchange.
Insights: Ministry help!
Obstacles: Immaturity of specifications related to XML (XLink, Schemas, etc.)
Contact Name: Michio
Kimura
Email Address: kimura@mi.hama-med.ac.jp