The Connectathon:IHE’s Conformance Testing Process

Presented by:Presented by:

Mike Nusbaum & Mike GlickmanMike Nusbaum & Mike GlickmanIHE Interoperability Showcase Planning CommitteeIHE Interoperability Showcase Planning Committee

January 16January 16thth, 2007, 2007

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Simplifying Interoperability

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Objective and Agenda

• What is the What is the ConnectathonConnectathon??• To provide a high-level understanding of the Connectathon To provide a high-level understanding of the Connectathon

processes, and their value within the context of IHEprocesses, and their value within the context of IHE• To describe what is currently happening on the To describe what is currently happening on the

Connectathon floorConnectathon floor• To prepare you for a tour of the Connectathon floor, To prepare you for a tour of the Connectathon floor,

immediately following this presentation…immediately following this presentation…

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A Phenomenon…

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Did you know…

• The first ConnectathonThe first Connectathon– held in 1999 in Chicagoheld in 1999 in Chicago– 23 vendors, 47 applications tested23 vendors, 47 applications tested

• The 2007 North American Connectathon boasts:The 2007 North American Connectathon boasts:– 77 vendors registered (up from 55 in 2006)77 vendors registered (up from 55 in 2006)– Over 150 individual applications being testedOver 150 individual applications being tested– Over 350 engineers working collaboratively to test interoperabilityOver 350 engineers working collaboratively to test interoperability– 52 integration profiles are being tested, many of which are new in 52 integration profiles are being tested, many of which are new in

20072007– 1000’s of vendor-vendor connections; 10,000’s of transactions1000’s of vendor-vendor connections; 10,000’s of transactions– Represents many 1000’s of hours of effort by sponsors, vendors, staffRepresents many 1000’s of hours of effort by sponsors, vendors, staff

• 51 Vendors applied to promote their success at the 2007 51 Vendors applied to promote their success at the 2007 Interoperability Showcase at HIMSSInteroperability Showcase at HIMSS

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Timely access to Timely access to informationinformationTimely access to Timely access to informationinformation

Easy to integrate Easy to integrate productsproductsEasy to integrate Easy to integrate productsproducts

Products Products with IHEwith IHEProducts Products with IHEwith IHE

IHE IHE DemonstrationsDemonstrationsIHE IHE DemonstrationsDemonstrations

Develop Develop technical technical

specificationsspecifications

Develop Develop technical technical

specificationsspecifications

Proven Standards Adoption Process

Document Use Document Use Case Case RequirementsRequirements

Document Use Document Use Case Case RequirementsRequirements

Identify available Identify available standards (standards (e.g. HL7, e.g. HL7, DICOM, IETF, OASIS)DICOM, IETF, OASIS)

Identify available Identify available standards (standards (e.g. HL7, e.g. HL7, DICOM, IETF, OASIS)DICOM, IETF, OASIS)

Testing at Testing at ConnectathonsConnectathonsTesting at Testing at ConnectathonsConnectathons

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Scenes from Connectathon 2006

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Conformance Testing enables Adoption

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Encouraging Vendors toImplement IHE Profiles

• Connectathon participation is open to all “software Connectathon participation is open to all “software developers”, vendors, open source, providersdevelopers”, vendors, open source, providers

• Interoperability Specification (IHE Profiles) set before users Interoperability Specification (IHE Profiles) set before users issue call for participation with deadline issue call for participation with deadline (applicants have to bid)(applicants have to bid)

• Vendors that implement IHE profiles assume strategic and Vendors that implement IHE profiles assume strategic and marketing advantagesmarketing advantages

• Vendors who pass the IHE Connectathon are given the Vendors who pass the IHE Connectathon are given the opportunity to demonstrate IHE capabilities during major opportunity to demonstrate IHE capabilities during major conferences (HIMSS, ACC, RSNA, etc.)conferences (HIMSS, ACC, RSNA, etc.)

Many carrots, but one stick: be absent or failingMany carrots, but one stick: be absent or failing

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IHE Testing Process

UsersUsers

Sponsors:Sponsors:ProjectProjectManagementManagementTeamTeam

VendorsVendors

Sponsors:Sponsors:ExhibitsExhibits

DevelopDevelopTesting ToolsTesting Tools

Testing ToolsTesting Tools

ImplementImplementProfile ActorsProfile Actors

In-HouseIn-HouseTestingTesting

ConnectathonConnectathon

DemonstrationDemonstration

DeployDeploySystemsSystems

Testing ResultsTesting Results

ApprovesApprovesTest LogsTest Logs

IHE Technical Framework (Profiles Specification)

Product +Product +IntegrationIntegrationStatementStatement

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What is a Connectathon?

Cross-vendor, live, supervised, structured testsCross-vendor, live, supervised, structured tests

• All participating vendors’ products tested together in the All participating vendors’ products tested together in the same place/timesame place/time

• Experts from each vendor available for immediate problem Experts from each vendor available for immediate problem resolution… fixes are done in minutes, not months!!resolution… fixes are done in minutes, not months!!

• Each vendor tests with multiple trading partners (actual Each vendor tests with multiple trading partners (actual product to product)product to product)

• Testing of real-world clinical scenarios with IHE Integration Testing of real-world clinical scenarios with IHE Integration ProfilesProfiles

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Connectathon Testing is based on specifications laid out in the Technical Framework

Technical FrameworkTechnical Framework

Part 1Part 1: : Integration Profiles Integration Profiles model the business process model the business process problem (use case) and its problem (use case) and its solution.solution.

Part 2Part 2: : Transactions Transactions define in how current define in how current standards are used to solve standards are used to solve the business problem the business problem defined in the Integrationdefined in the IntegrationProfiles.Profiles.

ConnectathonConnectathon: : Vendors Vendors register to test their product register to test their product as an actor(s) within an as an actor(s) within an Integration ProfileIntegration Profile

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Connectathon: Managed Process

• Structured testing supervised by Technical Project Structured testing supervised by Technical Project Management teamManagement team

• Real-time “dashboard” indicating tests in progressReal-time “dashboard” indicating tests in progress• Successful results recorded and available using Successful results recorded and available using

automated toolsautomated tools• Successful results published by sponsorsSuccessful results published by sponsors

• Primary Purpose:Primary Purpose: foster adoption and quality of foster adoption and quality of standards-based solutions in products standards-based solutions in products

• Secondary Purpose:Secondary Purpose: preparation for demonstration preparation for demonstration eventsevents

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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

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Connectathons are global and more than once a year

• IHE North AmericaIHE North America– January 2006January 2006

• IHE AsiaIHE Asia– February 2006 February 2006

• IHE Europe IHE Europe – April 2006April 2006

• IHE North AmericaIHE North America– October 2006October 2006

• IHE North AmericaIHE North America– January 2007January 2007

• IHE AsiaIHE Asia– February 2007February 2007

• IHE EuropeIHE Europe– April 2007April 2007

• ……....

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MESA Testing Tools

““Medical Environment Simulators and Analyzers” Medical Environment Simulators and Analyzers”

• Software and documentation distributed to vendors Software and documentation distributed to vendors participating in the testing processparticipating in the testing process

• Each test performs functional testing of a single Each test performs functional testing of a single actor, in a specific profile, by simulating remaining actor, in a specific profile, by simulating remaining actorsactors

• MESA tests must be successfully completed before MESA tests must be successfully completed before the Connectathonthe Connectathon

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MESA Testing Tools

• Primary developer: MIR, University of WashingtonPrimary developer: MIR, University of Washington• Other contributors:Other contributors:

– NIST, US Dept of Commerce: XDS toolsNIST, US Dept of Commerce: XDS tools– OFFIS, Germany: DICOM ScopeOFFIS, Germany: DICOM Scope– Health Infoway, Canada: XDS-I, PIX/PDQ/HL7v3Health Infoway, Canada: XDS-I, PIX/PDQ/HL7v3– INRIA, France: Lab HL7v2.5INRIA, France: Lab HL7v2.5

• To be replaced by GAZELLE: a new testing tool architected To be replaced by GAZELLE: a new testing tool architected to facilitate distributed testing to facilitate distributed testing (Collaborative world-wide development)(Collaborative world-wide development)

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Connectathon Scorecard

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What happens after the Connectathon?

• Successful results (specific by IHE profile/actor) are Successful results (specific by IHE profile/actor) are published by the sponsors published by the sponsors (www.ihe.net/connectahons)(www.ihe.net/connectahons)

• Vendors self-certify, by publishing Vendors self-certify, by publishing IHE Integration IHE Integration StatementsStatements: Precise and explicit public interoperability : Precise and explicit public interoperability commitment fro a specific commercial product.commitment fro a specific commercial product.

• Only vendors who are successful are entitled to participate in Only vendors who are successful are entitled to participate in Interoperability Showcase demonstrations:Interoperability Showcase demonstrations:– HIMSS Annual Conference (February 26HIMSS Annual Conference (February 26thth – March 1 – March 1stst, New Orleans), New Orleans)– ACC Annual Conference (March 24ACC Annual Conference (March 24thth – 27 – 27thth, New Orleans), New Orleans)– Canada e-Health 2007 Conference (May 27Canada e-Health 2007 Conference (May 27 thth – 30 – 30thth, Quebec City), Quebec City)– RSNA Annual Conference (November 25RSNA Annual Conference (November 25thth – 30 – 30thth, Chicago), Chicago)– others…others…

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IHE Integration Statement

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RFPs & Integration Statements

• Be Brief ?Be Brief ?– ““The system must support HL7”The system must support HL7”

• Be Effective ?Be Effective ?– ““The system must support the following HL7 V2 messages The system must support the following HL7 V2 messages

according to the following 100 pages of specifications”according to the following 100 pages of specifications”

• Be Both:Be Both:– ““The system must support IHE Patient Id Cross-reference The system must support IHE Patient Id Cross-reference

as a Patient Identifier Source actor”as a Patient Identifier Source actor”

• Integration StatementIntegration Statement– Version 2.1 of the Enterprise HIS supports IHE Patient Id Version 2.1 of the Enterprise HIS supports IHE Patient Id

Cross-referencing as Patient Identifier Source actorCross-referencing as Patient Identifier Source actor

Requiring vendors to publish their products Requiring vendors to publish their products IHE Integration IHE Integration Statements Statements provide a very effective pressure point provide a very effective pressure point

for market-driven interoperabilityfor market-driven interoperability

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RFP Language (actual example)

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Connectathon Tour

• You will be led by “docents”You will be led by “docents”• There will be a number of “stopping points”, illustrating There will be a number of “stopping points”, illustrating

different aspects of the Connectathondifferent aspects of the Connectathon• Staggered departure, in order to minimize disruptionStaggered departure, in order to minimize disruption• Feel free to observe and listen, but respect the effort that is Feel free to observe and listen, but respect the effort that is

underway and refrain from disrupting the engineers at underway and refrain from disrupting the engineers at work! work!

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Connectathon Floor Layout