International Health Care Standards

As the global economy encourages more international travel, effective international health care standards can save lives. One immediate concern are the standards governing the electronic transfer of medical record internationally. For this reason, several medical and technology-oriented organizations are working together to develop effective international health care standards.

Identification

• International health care standards are established and supported by a conglomerate of health-care and technology organizations. Each organization supports international standardization within their individual area of expertise.

Function

• One of the leading organization in this area is Health Level 7 (HL7). HL7 is a nonprofit organization whose primary focus is to provide and maintain a comprehensive set of international standards for the exchange of health care information electronically. Other organizations, such as HIMSS, provide global leadership for the optimal use of information technology (IT) and management systems for health care. (See Reference 3.)

Benefits

• Organizations such HL7 and HIMSS are helping to lay a foundation for international standards in health care, patient care and the electronic transfer of records. As people travel globally, the work of these organizations can help saves live as doctors and others can have ready access to international medical records on demand.