Integration of remote monitoring data into the hospital electronic health record system: Implementation based on international standards

Remote follow-up of implanted ICD´s offers a solution to the problem of overcrowded clinics. All major device companies have developed a remote follow-up solution. Data from the remote follow-up are stored in a central database system, operated by the device company and accessible for the physician. However, the problem now arises that part of the patient´s clinical information is stored in the local electronic health record (EHR) system in the hospital, while another part is only available in the remote monitoring database. In our hospital, we have implemented the IHE-IDCO profile to import data from the remote databases from two device vendors into our self-developed Cardiology Information System (EPD-Vision). Data is exchanged via a HL7/XML communication protocol, as defined in the IHE-IDCO profile. Remote follow-up data is visible in EPD-Vision™ in the same manner as the data from the in-house follow-up.