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EHR Systems in the Spanish Public Health National System: The Lack of Interoperability between Primary and Specialty Care

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Abstract

One of the problems of the Spanish Public Health National System is the lack of interoperability in the implemented Electronic Health Records (EHRs) systems in primary and specialty care. There is a deficiency in the electronic health systems that store the data of primary care patients, so one of the basic problems that prevent that every hospital and health center working on the same method is that deficiency. In this paper we research on this problem and to give expression to a series of solutions to it. Bibliographic material in this work has been obtained mainly from MEDLINE source. Additionally, due to the lack of information and privacy about the different EHRs systems, we have resorted to making direct contact with the organizations that have implemented those systems and technological providers. Two solutions have been propounded given several aspects for a feasibility study. The first solution is based upon in the execution of backups in different EHRs databases, which implies a huge economical and infrastructure development. The second of these solutions so that due to the creation of protocols by means of Cloud Computing Technologies. It is crucial the need to reach a homogeneity concerning to the storage of patients clinical data. On the results achieved we can emphasize that maybe the main problems are not the economical handicaps or the large technological development needed, but, as for Health each Region manages its own competences, each one governs with independent policies and decisions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors want to express our gratitude to the organizations that have implemented the EHR systems in Spain for answering our questions.

This research has been partially supported by the Spanish Social Security Administration Body (IMSERSO) under the project 85/2010.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest with the contents of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Signal Theory and Communications, University of Valladolid, Paseo de Belén, 15, 47011, Valladolid, Spain

    Isabel de la Torre-Díez, Sandra González & Miguel López-Coronado

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  1. Isabel de la Torre-Díez
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  2. Sandra González
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  3. Miguel López-Coronado
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Correspondence to Isabel de la Torre-Díez.

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de la Torre-Díez, I., González, S. & López-Coronado, M. EHR Systems in the Spanish Public Health National System: The Lack of Interoperability between Primary and Specialty Care. J Med Syst 37, 9914 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-012-9914-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10916-012-9914-3

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