Quality assurance and certification of health IT-systems communicating data in primary and secondary health sector

Each year more than 70% (25 mill) of all electronic health documents between secondary and primary health sector in Denmark are exchanged electronically using European EDI standards. Despite this widely use there have been several problems in showing the transferred data in correct and full context. These problems are solved in the 3 years MedCom certification and consolidation project. The project financed by Ministry of Health, Danish County Association and others through MedCom, involved all relevant health professional groups, organisations, all SW suppliers and all local governments. A new detailed and exact documentation with recommendations and obligatory needs published in "The Good EDI letters" was made, followed by training courses for programmers, test and certification of IT systems by MedCom and finally implementation of certified systems by all users in the country. The certification and implementation process are followed on www.medcom.dk The results are now a high quality of information and the state of art: One and only way of exchanging documents which are accepted by health professionals and implemented by all SW companies at all users. To day only MedCom certified IT systems are used[2] and the certification is a must for SW companies to be in the market.