Dutch virtual integration of healthcare information

As information technology creates opportunities for cooperation which crosses the boundaries between healthcare institutions, it will become an integral part of the Dutch healthcare system. Along with many involved organizations in healthcare the National IT Institute for Healthcare in the Netherlands (NICTIZ) is working on the realization of a national IT infrastructure for healthcare and a national electronic patient record (EPR).

An underlying national architecture is designed to enable the Dutch EPR virtually, not in a national database, nor on a patient's smartcard. The required secure infrastructure provides generic functions for healthcare applications: patient identification, authentication and authorization of healthcare professionals.

The first national applications in the EPR program using a national index of where patient data is stored, are the electronic medication record and the electronic record for after hours GP services. The rollout of the electronic medication record and electronic record for after hours GP services has been started in 2007.

To guarantee progress of electronic data exchange in healthcare in the Netherlands we have primarily opted for two healthcare applications: the electronic medication record and the electronic record for after hours GP services. The use of a national switch-point containing the registry of where to find what information, guarantees that the professional receives the most recent information and omits large databases to contain downloaded data. Proper authorization, authentication as well as tracing by the national switchpoint also ensures a secure environment for the communication of delicate information.