The Role of the CIO in the Development of Interoperable Information Systems in Healthcare Organizations

Abstract

A major challenge for business information systems (BIS) design and management within healthcare units is the need to accommodate the complexity and chargeability in terms of their clinical protocols, technology, business and administrative processes. Interoperability is the response to these demands, but there are many ways to achieve an information systems. In this chapter we address the requirements of a healthcare interoperability framework to enhance enterprise architechure interoperability of healthcare organizations, while maintaning the organization's technical and operational environments, and installed technology. The healthcare interoperability framework is grounded on the combination of model driven architecture (MDA) and service-oriented architecture (SOA) technologies. The main argument in this chapter is to advocate the role of chief information officer (CIO) indealing with challenges posed by the need to achieve BIS grounded on interoperability at the different layers, and in developing and executing an interoperability strategy, which must be aligned with the health organization's business, administrative, and clinical processes. A case study of the Hospital de Sao Sebastiao is described demonstrating the critical role of the CIO for the development of an interoperable platform.