Open Source and Open Standards
To achieve a dramatic change in the economic model for healthcare information exchange, both an open standard using a declarative approach (no programming), and an open source model is required. The Open Health Tools organization is a unique community that brings together healthcare domain experts and IT experts focused on such healthcare IT solutions. The OHT MDMI project is a subproject of the OHT MDHT (Model Driven Health Tools) project. The OHT MDMI project uniquely combines a MDA approach with open OMG technology standards, OHT open source, and existing industry standards. The OHT MDMI project is administered and managed by SemantX. (For more information about the Open Health Tools organization, please go to www.openhealthtools.org.)
Components of the OHT MDMI Project
There are five components of the OHT MDMI project; two content based components and three software based components. Each component of the MDMI project can be worked on and extended independently of each other component. This allows an efficient process to build and extend each component independently, and allows resources to focus their time on their particular area of expertise and need.
Referent Index
The first content based component of the OHT MDMI project is the MDMI Referent Index. The Referent Index contains a “dictionary” of Business Elements that cover all potential field names in the healthcare domain, e.g., Patient Name, Primary Care Doctor Address, Medication Description, etc. The Referent Index is open source and shareable. SemantX is initially populating the Referent index from current healthcare message standards. SemantX is also implementing a governance program so the community can have a clear process for adding new terms to the Index.
MDMI Map Repository
The second content based OHT component is MDMI Map Repository. The Repository is a shared space for participants who develop an MDMI Map. By storing their MDMI map in the Repository it allows them to receive messages in their validated format. SemantX is also populating the Repository with key public data standards, so that any participant can be assured of sending valid standard messages without having to deal with or understand the syntax or semantics of those often complex standards. Currently SemantX has added the C-CDA message group to the Repository.
MDMI Software Components
The MDMI Editor is a software tool that is used to create and edit MDMI Maps. Developing MDMI Maps is not a difficult process. It is akin, in complexity, to creating a spreadsheet.
The MDMI Runtime is an execution environment that can translate data from a source message to a target message using two appropriate MDMI Maps
Referent Index
The first content based component of the OHT MDMI project is the MDMI Referent Index. The Referent Index contains a “dictionary” of Business Elements that cover all potential field names in the healthcare domain, e.g., Patient Name, Primary Care Doctor Address, Medication Description, etc. The Referent Index is open source and shareable. SemantX is initially populating the Referent index from current healthcare message standards. SemantX is also implementing a governance program so the community can have a clear process for adding new terms to the Index.
MDMI Map Repository
The second content based OHT component is MDMI Map Repository. The Repository is a shared space for participants who develop an MDMI Map. By storing their MDMI map in the Repository it allows them to receive messages in their validated format. SemantX is also populating the Repository with key public data standards, so that any participant can be assured of sending valid standard messages without having to deal with or understand the syntax or semantics of those often complex standards. Currently SemantX has added the C-CDA message group to the Repository.
MDMI Software Components
The MDMI Editor is a software tool that is used to create and edit MDMI Maps. Developing MDMI Maps is not a difficult process. It is akin, in complexity, to creating a spreadsheet.
The MDMI Runtime is an execution environment that can translate data from a source message to a target message using two appropriate MDMI Maps