Objectives

As part of its role in helping to create interoperability, the GMSIH has, since its founding, given consideration to the issue of standardization in all of its research and specifically in its work devoted to information system infrastructures as well as its work on electronic exchanges in hospital information systems, health care networks and exchanges with other participants in the health care system (insurance funds, institutions, the Personal Medical Record, etc.). For example, the GMSIH has contributed to the development of the IHE programme and also coordinates and contributes to working groups at various standardization bodies both in France and internationally, including the French Standards Association (AFNOR), the European Committee for Standardization, HL7, Edisanté (the French association for health care data exchange) and others. The GMSIH is also very active in the IHE programme.

Concomitantly with the development of the GMSIH’s reference databases, France's Agency for the Development of Electronic Administration (ADAE), and subsequently the DGME, established a general interoperability database with several components that is currently being validated. The purpose of these databases is to comply with France’s decree 2005-1516 of 8 December 2005 on the subject of electronic exchanges between users and administrative authorities, intended in part to simplify current law. The goal of the decree was to simplify the procedures available to users and enhance their access to public services by creating the conditions for simple, secure electronic data exchange (electronic customer support). The decree applies to all central and regional government authorities and to any organization charged with managing a public service.

Consequently, in 2007 the GMSIH launched a number of analyses of these new reference databases and their applicability to the world of health care. These analyses will be adapted to various projects spread over time. They will be applied successively to the General Interoperability Database (RGI) and its adaptation to the field of health care, as well as the General Security Database (RGS).

To ensure that users in health care institutions and networks make effective use of these efforts, and as a way of inventorying their needs, the GMSIH is creating a network of exchanges for sharing good practices in this field, so that participants can pool information, become better informed and seek out solutions to problems that arise on a day-to-day basis in their organizations.