Dear Imaging Center Insider,
The Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) initiative has shown to be a positive force for the interoperability of healthcare information. The IHE does not create standards nor issue draconian decrees on how a vendor should solve a particular problem that relates to a product. Instead, it simply applies existing standards, such as DICOM and HL7, to solve real-world problems in the healthcare environment.
A recent survey conducted by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) determined that facilities with IHE-compliant systems and equipment were able to save both time and money following the integration profiles. Unfortunately, according to the same survey, there are still a number of sites that have yet to reap the benefits of the freely available initiative.
How does a practice go about creating an IHE-friendly environment? Jeffrey Ganiban and Dr. Nogah Haramati shared their thoughts on how a group can establish and implement IHE systems and equipment at the 2005 HIMSS conference in Dallas.
According to the duo, it's a combination of inventory, groundwork, contracting, and testing conducted in concert with an institution's vendors.
If you'd like to find out more about how to create a partnership for IHE interoperability with your vendors, click here. As an AuntMinnie.com Imaging Center Insider, you have access to this story days before the rest of our members.
If you have a comment or story to share about any aspect of imaging center practice, management, administration, or financing, please contact me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
