Individual Health Record Ontology for Interoperable Data Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current healthcare information systems are inflexible and inefficient in handling individual-centric health records due to the unpredictability of biologic functions and diverse information sources, leading to cumbersome and expensive databases that fail to support collaborative care effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system that collects, processes, and transforms health information from various sources using a comprehensive health care ontology and abstract health objects, enabling dynamic updates and flexible interaction through health portals and web services, without replacing existing infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a comprehensive system collects health information from diverse sources, then the completeness and versatility of health records is improved, but the system complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a standardized information model as an intermediary layer between diverse health information sources and the record system. This model provides uniform data structures, validation rules, and transformation mechanisms that enable integration of heterogeneous sources without increasing overall system complexity. The intermediary handles source-specific variations through standardized interfaces and mapping rules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal health information model that can handle multiple types of health data from various sources through a single standardized framework. This multi-functional model supports different data formats, sources, and purposes while maintaining consistent structure and semantics, eliminating the need for separate processing systems for each data type.
2Ease of operation
If health information systems are built with predefined structures, then the ease of operation and implementation is improved, but the flexibility to handle unpredictable biological variations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic information model where data structures, validation rules, and processing logic can adapt to different types of health information while maintaining operational simplicity. The system automatically adjusts its behavior based on the specific data being processed, allowing it to handle unpredictable biological variations without requiring complex manual configuration or reprogramming.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional provider-centric systems are used, then the ease of manufacture and deployment is improved, but the ability to support individual-centric collaborative care deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional provider-centric model by making the individual patient the central entity around which all health information is organized. Instead of providers generating records that patients access, the system structures data from the patient's perspective, enabling multiple providers to contribute to and access a unified individual-centric record. This inversion maintains deployment simplicity while fundamentally improving collaborative care capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A system, apparatus, and related methods for the collection, processing, evaluation, transformation, and reporting of individual health care information from diverse information systems and sources. A individual health record (IHR) of the present invention provides a structure for individuals to participate in, and manage, their health and their medical care, while still meeting the needs of health care organizations and caregivers. An IHR object may be formed by obtaining information from diverse health care information systems and sources, and transforming and re-purposing into a coherent account of the individual's overall health and care using a comprehensive health care ontology. As information from various sources is updated or available, the IHR is dynamically updated on a continuous or periodic basis. In one embodiment, the IHR system is contained in a self-contained package or “appliance” designed to “plug and play” in existing health care information technology systems and networks, with minimal effort and intervention.