IHE Asia-Pacific - Bridging the Gap between e-Health Standards and Interoperating Systems

What is IHE?

"Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise" (IHE) fills the "gap" between the creation of e-Health standards and their implementation. IHE is not "Yet Another Standard" but is the missing link in the standards development and implementation life-cycle. IHE supports vendors and implementers in effectively building compliant healthcare computing systems and interfaces based on global standards such as HL7 and DICOM.

IHE Australia 2009 Events

Register NOW for the 2009 Connectathon and Showcase!

2009 Connectathon preliminary Profiles and Participants

IHE Australia Mission Statement

IHE Australia is an open not-for-profit initiative that supports the interoperability needs of e-Health Standards users in Australia. IHE Australia is the official local deployment group of IHE International. IHE International is endorsed by over 230 professional and Standards organisations, healthcare providers and vendors world-wide. IHE Australia has local responsibility for the promotion and education of the IHE approach, the evaluation, localisation and creation of Integration Specifications ("Profiles") and the running of local conformance testing events ("Connectathons") according to the IHE International guidelines, ISO 28380 TR and Australian best practice. IHE derives its Profiles from existing global and local standards, but is not a Standards Development Organisation.

IHE Australia supports the Australian e-Health Standards Implementer Community by:
● Managing a user-led and industry-driven IHE process to establish an agreed suite of fit-for-purpose
   Integration Specifications ("Profiles") for Australia
● Evaluating the existing IHE International Profiles against the requirements of the Australian e-Health
   Standards Implementation Community
● Localising IHE International Profiles according to agreed Australian requirements
● Creating IHE Australia Profiles to address real-world user integration issues based on Australian Standards,
   national e-health infrastructure and Australian best practices
● Educating and championing the importance of IHE Profiles for effective interoperability of standards-based
   systems
● Promoting IHE as the most effective process to achieve the interoperability of deployed systems in healthcare
● Developing skills and knowledge of the IHE integration testing ("Connectathon") methodology and tools
● Holding IHE Connectathons, Interoperability Showcases and other events to support the Australian e-Health
   Standards Implementation Community

Because of its critical function in the systems implementation life-cycle, IHE has since 2004 been supported by leading e-Health organisations in the Asia-Pacific region: HISA, HL7 Australia, HL7 New Zealand, MSIA as well as RANZCR and ADIA.

Learning and Understanding IHE

In 2008 the following IHE education events were held in Australia:
- "Introduction to IHE" Seminar on June 12, 2008 in Sydney
- IHE Interoperability Events Participants Briefing on June 12, 2008 in Sydney
- IHE "Cross-Enterprise Document Sharing (XDS)" Course on June 13, 2008 in Sydney
- IHE Connectathon "Open Day" on July 30, 2008 in Canberra
- IHE "Web Services Forum" on July 31, 2008 in Canberra
- IHE Interoperability Showcase on Aug. 30 - Sept. 3, 2008 in Melbourne

Testing Products to IHE Implementation Specifications

The first Australian IHE-endorsed implementation specification testing event ("Connectathon") was held in Canberra from July 27 - August 1, 2008. 11 Australian and international e-Health system vendors tested 18 products against IHE International and local Australian profiles - 15 products attained an internationally recognised IHE compliance test and 9 products tested successfully to the Australian profiles. For details see the official 2008 Australian IHE Connectathon Results.

What is IHE Australia?

IHE Australia was approved as a National IHE Deployment Committee by the IHE International Board in February 2009. It is governed by a Board and has a seat on the IHE International Board. The establishment of "IHE Asia-Pacific" is now in progress. For updates, subscribe to the IHE Australia e-Mail list.