Health Information Exchange (HIE) is the process of electronically moving health-related information among organizations. The goal is to facilitate access to and retrieval of clinical data to provide better patient care, improve public health, and reduce administrative overhead.
To achieve HIE, the following initiatives have been taken:
- Use of Registries:
- Terminology Registries: These registries standardize data collection and ensure interoperability by providing a unified structure for:
- Population Registry: Derived from Health IDs, this provides demographic insights into the country’s population.
- Facility Registry: A comprehensive database of all healthcare institutions, including public and private sectors.
- Provider Registry: A registry of all healthcare professionals from both public and private sectors, ensuring traceability and accountability.
- Geolocation Registry: Links health facilities and encounters with geographic locations, enhancing service delivery and accessibility.
2. Use of Standards:
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- Adoption of HL7 FHIR: SHR uses the Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) framework, a global standard for exchanging healthcare information electronically. This ensures compatibility with international health IT systems.
- Citizen Core Data Structure (CCDS): Captures and records patients’ demographic information for consistent documentation.
- ICD-10: Used for classifying diseases and health conditions. Plans are underway to upgrade to ICD-11, offering more precision and better alignment with digital health systems.
- LOINC: Facilitates standardized reporting of laboratory and clinical test results.
- DICOM: Enables the exchange of medical imaging data, essential for radiology and diagnostic services.
- SNOMED-CT: Currently under discussion, this terminology provides a comprehensive vocabulary for clinical terms, enhancing the detail and accuracy of medical records.