Connectathon Overview

1. Connectathon Overview IHE Workshop 2007 Chris Carr RSNA

2. What is a Connectathon? • Face-to-face interoperability testing event • Tests implementation of Integration Profiles: integration capabilities defined in IHE Technical Frameworks • Testing structured and supervised by Technical Project Management Team • Successful results recorded and published by event sponsors • Used as preparation for demonstrations events • Primary purpose: foster adoption of standards-based solutions in products

3. Connectathon

4. How did it originate? • First radiology Connectathon was held in preparation for 1992 DICOM demonstrations • DICOM committees and RSNA Electronic Communications Committee organized and staged event

5. History • 1998: First IHE Connectathon • 1998-present: continual expansion of scope and participation • 2001: First IHE-Europe Connectathon • 2002: First IHE-Japan Connectathon • 2005: First multi-domain North American Connectathon: Cardio, IT, Radiology • Continual growth from 24 systems in 1998 to 150+ in 2006, plus annual European and Asian events

6. What are you preparing for? • IHE Connectathon and Conference, Jan. 28-Feb 1, 2008 – Hyatt Regency Hotel and Conference Center, Chicago • Testing of all transactions defined in Final Text Technical Frameworks and Supplements for Trial Implementation (www.ihe.net) • Cardiology • IT Infrastructure • Laboratory • Patient Care Coordination • Patient Care Devices • Quality • Radiation Oncology • Radiology

7. Connectathon: Who should apply? • Any company producing systems that fall under the scope defined in the IHE Technical Frameworks • Users and consultants have a vital role as advisors and implementers of IHE, but do not participate in the Connectathon • Recruiting Connectathon observers • Intent of the Connectathon is to foster implementation of IHE capabilities in commercially available products

8. What do you get? • Early access to MESA tools and test plans • Testing in controlled and validated environment with TPM oversight • Objective success criteria for each actor • Structured process with opportunities for additional cross-vendor testing • Build relationships with industry peers • Promotion of successful results in sponsor educational and outreach materials • Qualify to participate in demonstrations at HIMSS Interoperability Showcase

9. Does application include demos? • No. IHE demonstration processes are separate from the Connectathon • However, Connectathon participation is a pre-requisite for HIMSS Showcase • Demonstrations have separate applications and participation fees

10. Connectathon Results • Tool contains Connectathon results from 2001 to present • Part of the “KUDU” project management tool, developed in part by IHE Europe • Development underway to build a new PRODUCT REGISTRY. Adds specific vendors product implementations of Integration Profiles

11. What do results signify? • Successfully completed tests of IHE actors and integration profiles • We do not publish “failures” • IHE is not a certification body • Connectathon testing does not certify product compliance • Participants are strongly encouraged to test real products and to quickly productize all IHE functions

12. Incentives to put IHE in products • Satisfy customer interoperability needs in ways coordinated with rest of industry • Connectathon Results and other sponsor promotions encourage customers to ask • Integration Statements allow you to promote IHE capabilities • Vendors self-publish their conformance to IHE Integration Profiles • User Handbook explains to users how and why to implement products with IHE capabilities

13. Integration Statements

14. Integration Statements on www.ihe.net

15. Improve Product Development • Align development strategies for integration with industry competitors/peers • Gain experience and credibility working in multi-vendor environment • Coordinate implementation of integration standards • Get MESA tools for pre-testing and as implementation aid

16. Improve Product Marketing • Gain increased visibility in the marketplace • Demonstrate and publicize open systems capabilities • IHE publications and promotional efforts • Sponsoring organizations annual meetings • Build and strengthen business relationships with peers and goodwill with customers

17. Submitting Application • Application due Sept. 15, 2007, includes: • Company Info/Contacts • Full list of Actors/Integration Profiles for each system, with any explanatory notes • Payment in full of registration fee • Applications will be submitted through online registration tool (Kudu) • System will generated printed application to be signed and submitted with payment

18. Connectathon Fees • $4,000 for each system tested • $4,000 for each domain participated in • Rationale: • Support cost of process for sponsoring organizations • Provide value for participants proportional to their investment • Costs have remained stable for 4 years

19. What is a “system”? • Any combination of IHE Actors that could be delivered as a product • Cramming too many actors on one system makes life difficult for you and testing partners • Sponsors and project managers exercise judgment as to allowable combinations

20. What is a “domain”? • Clinical or operational field with a particular set of interoperability issues • Cardiology • IT Infrastructure • Laboratory • Patient Care Coordination • Patient Care Devices • Quality • Radiology • Radiation Oncology • Defined by which Technical Framework contains the transactions being performed

21. Exception to Domain Fee • IT Infrastructure: • No additional domain fees incurred for other domain systems (Cardio, Rad) implementing ITI profiles • No additional domain fees incurred for ITI systems used in profiles by other domains

22. Sample Fee Calculation 3 systems x $4000 = $12,000 2 domains x $4000 = $8,000 Total $20,000

23. Conference Event • Showcases Connectathon process to the broader community • Provider Execs and Administrators • Vendor Execs • Government Agency Representatives • Other Organizations in EHR/RHIO Implementation • Presentations on interoperability topics • Guided tours of testing area, structured interaction with participants

24. Conference Event • One day event - Tues., Jan. 29 • Registration fee will be modest: sponsors recover costs • Planning for 200+ attendees (in addition to 300+ testing participants)

25. Conference Goals • Raise visibility of IHE testing process • Foster discussion of IHE’s place in national EHR initiatives in US, Canada and elsewhere • Increase knowledge in healthcare community of how and why to acquire IHE compatible systems • Encourage participants to bring IHE capabilities to market

26. Questions? • www.ihe.net • ihe@rsna.org, ihe@himss.org, ihe@acc.org