52 PART II Prerequisites for an HCM
A good multi-format viewer has tools for image manipulation, document display
and uses categorization to search and filter data. In addition, it displays data
relating
to individual examinations, patients or cases.
Alongside this, the viewer’s ability to integrate plays a central role within the
overall strategy. It is only if the viewer is seamlessly embedded into the HIS that
users can access the data of the HCM system directly via their bread-and-butter
patient management system.
Such an integration into the HIS can be implemented quite easily if the viewer is
based on web technologies and thus works within a standard web browser.
Multi-format viewer as a separate system –
is that even possible?
Theoretically it is conceivable that a multi-format viewer could be connected as
a separate system to an HCM system. The multi-format viewer must be able to
quickly request, retrieve and display images, documents and biosignal data from
the HCM system. In addition, changes, for example for error correction, must be
passed back to the HCM system. The good news is that there are standard interfaces
for these processes.
In practical terms, however, there are no multi-format viewers available today as
separate systems. For performance reasons, they are always equipped with intermediate
middleware. The middleware retrieves data into a temporary cache in
order for the viewer to be able to quickly display it later if required. The middleware
could also pass error corrections back to the HCM system.
What does that mean in practical terms for you? If a separate multi-format viewer
is significantly better than the viewing capabilities available in the HCM system, it
may be worth investing the extra effort to run another middleware.
Let It Out: Data Output
Similar to the component »input«, the component »output« groups functions
and interfaces for the communication of data within and beyond a healthcare institution.
An HCM system should ensure the following aspects, among others,
depending on the needs of the healthcare institution:
✔✔ selection of images and documents that are to be made available internally
or externally