Transcript Is Meaningful Communication Possible without a Common

Is Meaningful Communication Possible without a
Common Record Architecture?
HL7 UK Annual Conference October 2006
Julie James, MRPharmS
Chair Pharmacy Sub-Group
Partner, Blue Wave Informatics LLP
[email protected]
October 2006
© Blue Wave Informatics LLP
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What is “Meaningful Communication”?
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A baby cries…..
A politician’s rhetoric…..
A newspaper report….
A newspaper editorial….
A text book……
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An FP10 prescription….
A discharge summary….
A consultant ward round discussion….
Two consultants discuss a single patient in the quiet of an
empty office….
• The “grand round”….
• An EHR????
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How can I really know if I have communicated successfully?
Good communication should be dynamic
Good communication should be two-way (or more)
Good communication will create and maintain understanding
Good communication will be synergistic and develop a theme
We do this by
– talking together face to face or by phone
– writing letters (and e-mail)
– papers and presentations, speeches
– films, books, plays, music, paintings, art
But how can SYSTEMS do this?
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Systems need to use HL7
HL7 v3 seeks to facilitate systems communication by
• Providing a grammar and syntax for the facts of healthcare
– The static model of the RIM
• Providing the etiquette for systems communication
– The Dynamic model
• The trigger events
• The application roles
• The receiver responsibilities
But you have to use it well….
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What about this “common record architecture” concept, then?
Aren’t we muddling the concepts here?
We need to be clear about the subtle difference between
(ELECTRONIC) COMMUNICATION
Sharing information between systems for a purpose (which may be the EHR)
and
THE ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD
Documenting information (which may be shared)
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An Electronic Health Record
Structured (electronic) records have proven benefits:
• the record is less likely to be unavailable (i.e. lost!)
• records can be audited efficiently leading to better care
• facilitates decision support, reducing errors and providing
safer, higher quality care
Having a shared structure (architecture) means that tools and
knowledge for audit and decision support can be shared,
which has to be beneficial!
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But Communication: Dependency? Or Interdependency?
“Meaningful Communication” and “Shared Record Architecture” are separate and distinct
concepts covering different areas of functionality in life and in systems
We need both to deliver 21st Century Healthcare
A common (shared) culture usually makes communication “easier”, but is it “essential” to
communication?
To quote BT: It’s good to talk
To quote Nike: Just do it
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