Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Immunization Content profile is now available for trial implementation.  See: 

http://www.ihe.net/Technical_Framework/upload/IHE_PCC_Immunization_Content_IC_Supplement_TI_2008-08-22.pdf

Immunization Content (IC) provides an HL7 Version 3 profile for immunization-related information.  IC is in Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) form.  It derives from the same Care Provision standard as Continuity of Care Document (CCD) but provides more immunization detail.  It is suitable for use with the IHE Cross-Enterprise Document Exchange profile, also known as XDS.   XDS is in widespread use in healthcare interoperabilty projects around the world.

 IC Data elements also correspond to those included in the Implementation Guide for Immunization Data Transactions using HL7 Version 2.3.1, the current standard for Immunization Information Systems (IISs).  See: 

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/iis/stds/downloads/hl7guide.pdf

IC will also be tested at the 2009 Connectathon and demonstrated in real-life business scenarios at the 2009 HIMSS Interoperability Showcase.

Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Pediatric Demographics Supplement to PIX and PDQ is now available for trial implementation.  See: 

http://www.ihe.net/Technical_Framework/upload/IHE_ITI_TF_Supplement_Pediatric_Demographics_TI_2008-08-22.pdf

Pediatric Demographics enhances IHE's identity management profiles to use additional traits in matching patient records from different sources for common patients in environments where there are a large number of pediatric records.  In particular, the added demographic fields help prevent records for twins from being inadvertently identified as the same person.  

Pediatric Demographics draws heavily on the experience of Immunization Information Systems (IISs).

The Pediatric Demographics option to PIX and PDQ will also be tested at the 2009 Connectathon and demonstrated in real-life business scenarios at the 2009 HIMSS Interoperability Showcase.

Thanks to all who participated in the HL7 Public Health and Emergency Response (PHER) Working Group’s Immunization Days in Phoenix to take an inter-effort approach to addressing issues using a single use case.  We were able to accomplish a great deal in our 3 inter-group quarters on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Some of our results include:

• PHER and SOA project to find a way to bind the Immunization DAM to specific HL7 messages, services and documents proposed
• PHER participation in Pharmacy Common Product Model project
• PHER to comment on CareRecord and Clinical Statement DSTUs to make compatible with POIZ
• PHER to collaborate with CDS on CareRecord comments related to decision support
 

The sessions were so productive that we decided we’d like to do this again in Vancouver.  Draft agenda for Vancouver - click Read More.

Alean Kirnak

Co-chair for PHER

The work of the American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA) with the Public Health Data Standards Consortium (PHDSC) to develop IHE profiles related to public health and immunization is finding reuse and incorporation by other Standards Development Organizations such as OMG and HSSP, and is wrapping back to HL7 itself in the form of harmonization of message and document specifications, of medication specifications, and of decision support specifications.  This ultimately will facilitate electronic exchange of immunization data with EMR systems by eliminating the need for EMR vendors to constantly translate from one “standard” to another.  Also, the consistent adoption of harmonized immunization standards by multiple SDOs will encourage federal bodies such as HITSP to promote those standards.