HEALTHCARE SEMANTIC INTEROPERABILITY PLATFORM

• US 20090080408A1
• Filed: 09/20/2007
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Painter, Joshua, Kermanshahche, Kristina M., Natoli, Joseph D., Boucher, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,850,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/351
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/35 Switches specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A system and method for efficiently linking local databases having different data formats or standards into a network, wherein a content based router is provided between each of the databases and a network “party line” bus and translates data from the respective database into a common canonical form or format so that all information within the network between the content based routers complies with the common canonical form and are validated according to single standard or mechanism, for example when information first enters the network. Also provided is a tracking or audit mechanism whereby each item of information provided with a unique network identifier when it first enters the network, and is also provided with or associated with a local identifier from each local database that originates or accesses the information item and router identifiers of the content based routers corresponding to those local databases.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of entities each comprising a database and each conforming to a different information standard;

a plurality of content-based routers, wherein each of the content based routers is assigned to at least one of the entities;

a first canonical standard; and

a metric for validating data for compliance with the first canonical standard;

wherein;

the content-based routers are connected to form a network;

communications within the network between the content-based routers comply with the first canonical standard;

each of the plurality of entities communicates with the network via the corresponding content-based router;

each of the content-based routers is configured to transform information from the corresponding one of the entities into a first form compliant with the first canonical standard and validate the transformed information in accordance with the metric;

each of the content-based routers is configured to transform information that is compliant with the first canonical standard into a form compliant with the information standard of a corresponding entity to which the content-based router is assigned.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the content-based routers are configured to support both broadcast communications to other content-based routers in the network and directly routed communications to other content based routers in the network.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein each of the content-based routers is configured to receive a new communication from the entity to which it is assigned, and obtain a unique network identification label for the new communication.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each of the content based routers is configured to:

obtain, for each communication transferred through the content-based router between the network and the entity to which the content-based router is assigned, a local identification label that identifies at least one of the content-based router and the corresponding entity;

associate the local identification label with the communication;

store a copy of the communication and a copy of the local identification label; and

transmit the local identification label to at least one other content-based router in the network.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the content-based router is configured to receive and store local identification labels associated with the communication by other content-based routers.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one other content-based router is at least one of a) a content-based router that transferred the communication the respective entity to which it is assigned and the network, or b) a network core tasked with caching identification labels.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first canonical standard enables structural and semantic standardization or normalization of data within the network.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first canonical standard is directed to health care.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of entities are health care service entities and wherein the information comprises patient health care information.

10. A method for normalizing data within a network of a system, comprising:

assigning each of a plurality of content-based routers to a corresponding one of a plurality of database entities, wherein the database entities each conform to a different information standard;

forming a network among the plurality of content-based routers;

a first one of the content-based routers receiving a first communication from the corresponding first database entity to which it is assigned;

the first content-based router transforming the first communication into a first form compliant with a first canonical standard;

the first content-based router validating the transformed first communication in accordance with a metric that is standard within the network;

transmitting the transformed, validated communication within the network;

the first content-based router receiving a second communication from the network wherein the second communication is in a form consistent with the first canonical standard;

the first content-based router transforming the received second communication into a form compliant with the information standard of the first database entity; and

the first content-based router transferring the transformed second communication to the first database entity.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

the first content-based router generating a local identification label and a network identification label for the first communication;

attaching the local and network identification labels to the first communication; and

storing copies the first communication and the local and network identification labels in a cache associated with the first content-based router.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

the first content-based router generating a second local identification label for the received second communication; and

storing the second local identification label in association with the second communication in the cache associated with the first content-based router.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

the first content-based router transmitting the second local identification label through the network to each content-based router that has a local identification label associated with the second communication.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising:

the first content-based router receiving and storing local identification labels generated by other content-based routers in the network.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first canonical standard enables structural and semantic standardization or normalization of data within the network.

16. A computer-implemented method for tracking information within a network of network appliances, the network appliances each connecting to a local information system having a local database, the method comprising:

a first network appliance receiving a first event information package from a first local informational system connected to the first network appliance, wherein the first event information package describes a first event and includes a first local system first event identifier associated with the first event;

the first network appliance generating a first network identifier for the first event;

the first network appliance generating a first appliance first event association package, adding the first network identifier and the first local system first event identifier and an identifier of the first network appliance to the first appliance first event association package, and storing the first appliance first event association package;

the first network appliance forwarding the first event information package and the first appliance first event association package to a second network appliance for delivery to a second local information system connected to the second network appliance;

the second network appliance providing the first event information package to the second local information system and receiving a second local system first event identifier from the second local information system to identify the first event;

the second network appliance generating a second appliance first event association package, and adding contents of the first event association package, the second local system first event identifier, and an identifier of the second network appliance to the second appliance first event association package;

the second network appliance sending the second local system first event identifier to the first network appliance; and

the first network appliance adding the received second local system first event identifier to the first appliance first even association package.

17. A computer-implemented method for tracking information within a network of local information systems each having a local database, wherein each of the local information systems is directly connected to at least one network appliance and communicates with other local information systems in the network via the respective network appliances, and wherein the network appliances connect with each other via a broadcast network, the method comprising:

a first network appliance receiving event information regarding an event from the local information system connected to it, wherein the event information at least identifies the event;

the first network appliance generating a unique network identifier for the event;

transferring the event information among a plurality of local information systems via the network appliances respectively connected to the plurality of local information systems;

storing trace information in association with the unique network identifier, by each of the network appliances that transfers the event information to or from the local information system connected to the respective network appliance, wherein the trace information comprises;

a) local information system identifiers for the event that are provided by each of the local information systems that either generates or receives the event information; and

b) identifiers for each of the network appliances that transfers the event information to or from the local information system connected to the respective network appliance.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

each network appliance that receives from the local information system connected to it a first local information identifier for a first event, broadcasting the first local information identifier and an association of the first local information identifier to a first unique network identifier for the first event, to the other network appliances;

each network appliance that receives the broadcast first local information identifier, and that has stored trace information associated with the first unique network identifier, adding the first local information identifier to the stored trace information associated with the first unique identifier.

19. The method of claim 17, comprising:

validating all event information transferred from local information systems to at least one of the network appliances according to a same standard.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the validating is performed by at least one of the plurality of network appliances.

21. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform:

assigning each of a plurality of content-based routers to a corresponding one of a plurality of database entities, wherein the database entities each conform to a different information standard;

forming a network among the plurality of content-based routers;

enabling a first one of the content-based routers to receive a first communication from the corresponding first database entity to which it is assigned;

enabling the first content-based router to transform the first communication into a first form compliant with a first canonical standard;

enabling the first content-based router to validate the transformed first communication in accordance with a metric that is standard within the network;

transmitting the transformed, validated communication within the network;

enabling the first content-based router to receive a second communication from the network wherein the second communication is in a form consistent with the first canonical standard;

enabling the first content-based router to transform the received second communication into a form compliant with the information standard of the first database entity; and

enabling the first content-based router to transfer the transformed second communication to the first database entity.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the data comprises patient health care information and the medium comprises instructions for causing the computer to perform:

enabling the first content-based router to generate a local identification label and a network identification label for the first communication;

attaching the local and network identification labels to the first communication; and

storing copies the first communication and the local and network identification labels in a cache associated with the first content-based router;

enabling the first content-based router to generate a second local identification label for the received second communication;

storing the second local identification label in association with the second communication in the cache associated with the first content-based router;

transmitting the second local identification label through the network to each content-based router that has a local identification label associated with the second communication; and

enabling the first content-based router to receive and store local identification labels generated by other content-based routers in the network.

23. A computer readable storage medium, comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform:

enabling tracking of patient health care information within a network of network appliances, the network appliances each connecting to a local information system having a local database;

enabling a first network appliance to receive a first event information package from a first local informational system connected to the first network appliance, wherein the first event information package describes a first event and includes a first local system first event identifier associated with the first event;

enabling the first network appliance to generate a first network identifier for the first event;

enabling the first network appliance to generate a first appliance first event association package;

adding the first network identifier and the first local system first event identifier and an identifier of the first network appliance to the first appliance first event association package;

storing the first appliance first event association package;

enabling the first network appliance to forward the information package and the first appliance first event association package to a second network appliance for delivery to a second local information system connected to the second network appliance;

providing the information package to the second local information system and receiving a second local system first event identifier from the second local information system to identify the first event;

generating a second appliance first event association package, and adding contents of the first event association package, the second local system first event identifier, and an identifier of the second network appliance to the second appliance first event association package;

sending the second local system first event identifier to the first network appliance; and

enabling the first network appliance to add the received second local system first event identifier to the first appliance first even association package.

24. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing a computer to perform:

tracking information within a network of local information system each having a local database, wherein each of the local information systems is directly connected to at least one network appliance and communicates with other local information systems in the network via the respective network appliances, and wherein the network appliances connect with each other via a broadcast network;

enabling a first network appliance to receive event information regarding an event from the local information system connected to it, wherein the event information at least identifies the event and wherein the event information comprises patient health care information;

generating a unique network identifier for the event;

transferring the event information among a plurality of local information systems via the network appliances respectively connected to the plurality of local information systems;

storing trace information in association with the unique network identifier at each of the network appliances that transfers the event information to or from the local information system connected to the respective network appliance, wherein the trace information comprises;

a) local information system identifiers for the event that are provided by each of the local information systems that either generates or receives the event information; and

b) identifiers for each of the network appliances that transfers the event information to or from the local information system connected to the respective network appliance.

25. The medium of claim 24, comprising instructions for causing the computer to perform:

enabling each network appliance that receives from the local information system connected to it a first local information identifier for a first event, to broadcasting the first local information identifier and an association of the first local information identifier to a first unique network identifier for the first event, to the other network appliances;

enabling each network appliance that receives the broadcast first local information identifier, and that has stored trace information associated with the first unique network identifier, to adding the first local information identifier to the stored trace information associated with the first unique identifier; and

validating all event information transferred from local information systems to at least one of the network appliances according to a same standard.

26. A first content-based router comprising:

a first connection to a first entity associated with the first content-based router, wherein the first entity comprises a database and the database comprises patient health care information; and

second connections to a plurality of other content-based routers, each of the other content-based routers comprising connections to an other different entity associated with the other content-based router, the entities each comprising a database including patient health care information and each conforming to a different information standard;

a metric for validating data for compliance with a first canonical standard;

wherein all communications between the first content-based router and the other content-based routers via the second connections comply with the first canonical standard;

wherein each of the content-based routers is configured to transform information from the corresponding associated one of the entities into a first form compliant with the first canonical standard and validate the transformed information in accordance with the metric; and

wherein each of the content-based routers is configured to transform information that is compliant with the first canonical standard into a form compliant with the information standard of the corresponding entity to which the content-based router is assigned.

27. The router of claim 26, wherein the first content-based router is configured to receive a new communication from the entity to which it is assigned, and obtain a unique network identification label for the new communication.

28. The router of claim 26, wherein the first content-based router and the plurality of other content-based routers form a network and wherein the first content based router is configured to:

obtain, for each communication transferred through the first content-based router between the network and the first entity, a local identification label that identifies at least one of the first content-based router and the first entity;

associate the local identification label with the communication;

store a copy of the communication and a copy of the local identification label; and

transmit the local identification label to at least one of the other content-based routers in the network.

29. The router of claim 28, wherein the first content-based router is configured to receive and store local identification labels associated with the communication by other content-based routers in the network.

30. The router of claim 26, wherein the first content-based router is a network core tasked with caching identification labels.

31. The router of claim 26, wherein the first canonical standard enables structural and semantic standardization or normalization of data within the network.

32. The router of claim 26, wherein the first entity and the other different entities are health care service entities and wherein the information comprises patient health care information.

33. A computer-implemented method for tracking patient health care information within a network of local information systems each having a local database, wherein each of the local information systems is directly connected to at least one network appliance and communicates with other local information systems in the network via the respective network appliances, and wherein the network appliances connect with each other via a broadcast network, the method comprising:

a first network appliance receiving event information regarding an event from the local information system connected to it, wherein the event information at least identifies the event;

the first network appliance generating a unique network identifier for the event;

the first network appliance transferring the event information to the network for distribution among a plurality of local information systems via the network appliances respectively connected to the plurality of local information systems;

the first network appliance receiving event information from at least one of the other network appliances in the network, including at least one other unique network identifier provided by the at least one other network appliance;

the first network appliance storing, for each set of received event information, trace information wherein the trace information includes the unique network identifier associated with the received event information and a) local information system identifiers for the event that are provided by each of the local information systems that either generates or receives the event information; and

b) identifiers for each of the network appliances that transfers the event information to or from the local information system connected to the respective network appliance.

34. The method of claim 33, comprising:

the first network appliance receiving from the local information system connected to it a first local information identifier for a first event, and broadcasting the first local information identifier and an association of the first local information identifier to a first unique network identifier for the first event, to the other network appliances;

the first network appliance receiving from an other network appliance a second trace information relating to a second event wherein the second trace information comprises a second local information identifier and a second unique identifier for a second event;

the first network appliance generating a second local information identifier corresponding to the second event; and

the first network appliance storing the second trace information in association with the second local information identifier.

35. A computer readable storage medium, comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

enable tracking patient health care information within a network of local information systems each having a local database, wherein each of the local information systems is directly connected to at least one network appliance and communicates with other local information systems in the network via the respective network appliances, and wherein the network appliances connect with each other via a broadcast network;

enable a first network appliance to receive event information regarding an event from the local information system connected to it, wherein the event information at least identifies the event;

enable the first network appliance to generate a unique network identifier for the event;

enable the first network appliance to transfer the event information to the network for distribution among a plurality of local information systems via the network appliances respectively connected to the plurality of local information systems;

enable the first network appliance to receive event information from at least one of the other network appliances in the network, including at least one other unique network identifier provided by the at least on other network appliance; and

enable the first network appliance to store, for each set of received event information, trace information wherein the trace information includes the unique network identifier associated with the received event information and a) local information system identifiers for the event that are provided by each of the local information systems that either generates or receives the event information; and

b) identifiers for each of the network appliances that transfers the event information to or from the local information system connected to the respective network appliance.

36. A computer readable storage medium, comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

enable a first network appliance to receive from a local information system connected to it a first local information identifier for a first event, and broadcasting the first local information identifier and an association of the first local information identifier to a first unique network identifier for the first event, to other network appliances;

enable the first network appliance to receive from an other network appliance second trace information relating to a second event wherein the second trace information comprises a second local information identifier and a second unique identifier for a second event;

enable the first network appliance to generate a second local information identifier corresponding to the second event; and

enable the first network appliance to store the second trace information in association with the second local information identifier.