Architecture evaluation for the implementation of a regional integrated electronic health record

The interconnection between different healthcare information systems is not yet a trivial task. Solid communication infrastructures do exist, solid solutions for Health Information Systems (HIS) are installed, but, unfortunately, too many different solutions hinder the integration of HIS at a regional, national or European level.In this paper we propose a solution and an implementation of an Integrated Electronic Health Record that is a composition of two distinct integration models - centralized and distributed. We exploit this solution against a set of predefined users and institutional requirements, at a regional level in two Portuguese regions. As a conclusion, an evaluation of the cost and inherent benefits is made involving the clinical, economical and organizational perspectives.