A year in the life of the OpenECG network

The OpenECG network formed in 2002, is a European initiative with global reach, which aims to lower the barriers for ECG interoperability and make digital ECGs available as part of the integrated electronic health record. Currently, SCP-ECG, the European standard for ECG record communication and storage, has been implemented by some manufacturers. However, these implementations are not consistent with each other, hindering ECG exchange, processing, and serial analysis. Furthermore, the presence of alternative ECG storage formats, proprietary or open, raises issues of harmonization and quality assurance. In the first year of its life, the OpenECG network numbers 105 committed members, while its portal and associated help desk have already provided valuable information and development support to several manufacturers and integrators. Recently, the OpenECG certification service has become available to members who may submit their ECG records for interoperability validation and SCP-ECG conformance testing. Still, only the first step for the OpenECG network has been taken. Future plans involve contributing to the definition of integration profiles for ECG-related examinations and addressing issues related to quality assurance of eHealth services in general.