Electronic Medical Records: A Vision for Medical Data and Service Grids

In this paper, we propose an integrated e-service model for implementing electronic medical records (EMR). We discuss technical and economic issues associated with EMR and argue that the emerging e-services will not fully resolve the issues if they do not work together. To meet the challenge, we propose an integrated e-service framework consisting of both process-and data-oriented grids that glue together distributed electronic medical services and records, and application services that provide readily available solutions. We suggest an implementation architecture that extends the open systems interconnectivity model and improves existing e-service architectures. The proposed e-services framework would help deliver e-health applications effectively at a time when such applications are being considered as an effective means of delivering healthcare information, products, and services.