Hi Thomas, > no reference model = no computability, including queryability. To > overcome that, if you use PDFs, plain text etc, you need structured > meta-data. As soon as you need that (e.g. like IHE) you need a model of > it. As soon as it tries to be more sophisticated, the model becomes more > complex. If we want queryable, computable data (e.g. for decision > support, research), you have to have models. Otherwise the software > doesn't know what the data mean.
If I understand you right, you argue that a reference model is required if SEMANTIC interoperability (you refer to software that must know what the data mean) has to be achieved. I would fully agree here. What makes me wonder about the statement in ISO 20514 is that they consider an EHR reference model as required for FUNCTIONAL interoperability => "In order to achieve semantic interoperability of EHR information, there are four prerequisites, with the first two of these also being required for functional interoperability: a) a standardised EHR reference model, i.e. the EHR information architecture, between the sender (or sharer) and receiver of the information, b) ..." They further define functional interoperability in ISO 20514 as "the ability of two or more systems to exchange information (so that it is human readable by the receiver)". I would think that human readability and thus functional interoperability can also be achieved without a standardised EHR reference model. Cheers, Georg -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.openehr.org/mailman/private/openehr-technical_lists.openehr.org/attachments/20080625/ea545a7a/attachment.html>
