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IHE Developing Integration Profile for the International Patient Summary

True healthcare interoperability means that information can flow wherever it is needed, across borders and health systems.  The International Patient Summary (IPS) standardizes clinical data content and messaging technology worldwide, facilitating the movement of clinical information needed to support the care of an increasingly mobile population.

The IPS specifications were originally developed as a joint project between the European Standardization Committee (CEN) and HL7 International. They comprise a content specification, a regional guide for implementing the IPS standard in Europe, and Implementation Guides for the HL7 CDA and HL7 FHIR standards that conform to IPS content and business rules.  These specifications and implementation guides were all published in 2019.

To further this effort, IHE International has undertaken the development of an IHE Profile for the IPS.  The profile will promote global adoption by adding value in three distinct areas:

  1. Enhance IPS content to support additional needs expressed by international stakeholders;
  2. Leverage IHE’s testing and conformity assessment tools and processes; and
  3. Identify ways to align IPS content and business rules with healthcare workflows

The IHE IPS Profile is designed to provide a channel through which vendors and implementers can adopt the IPS in products and care networks.IPS Contributing Organizations

The IPS specifications are primarily designed to support cross-border emergency and unplanned care.  The IHE IPS Profile will expand the specification to cover four scenarios:  unscheduled care, scheduled care, cross-border care and within-border care.

While the IHE IPS Profile is being developed in the IHE Patient Care Coordination domain, the development team has enlisted participation from a broad group of international stakeholders and healthcare standards development organizations (SDOs).  The initiative demonstrates how SDOs can collaborate, avoiding duplication and redundancy, on a deliverable that can benefit the entire community.  IHE International is very proud to host this collaboration.

IHE member organizations can participate in the development of the IHE IPS Profile by contacting the co-Chairs of the Patient Care Coordination Domain Technical Committee.  The community at large will have an opportunity to review and comment on the draft IHE IPS Profile specifications in 2020, through IHE’s normal public comment process.

Further information can be found at the following links: