Cloud-based healthcare information exchange

Abstract

The present disclosure describes systems and methods of a healthcare exchange system to exchange medical information, stored in different formats, between different entities. This exchange system provides a channel for the flow of information and patient records across different health care entities that may store data in different formats. The exchange system's ability to receive requests and retrieve corresponding data from various entities, along with the transformation of data from the storing format into a format specified by the requesting entity, allow a flexible and extendable healthcare information exchange system.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for exchanging medical information via a healthcare exchange system, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving, by an interface engine of a healthcare exchange system executing on one or more servers, via a first interface to a first computer system of a first healthcare entity identified via a first entity identifier of a first entity profile maintained by the healthcare exchange system, a first request for medical information of a patient;   (b) determining, by the interface engine, that a second healthcare entity identified via a second entity identifier of a second entity profile of the healthcare exchange system stores medical information of the patient corresponding to the request, the second healthcare entity storing the medical information externally to the healthcare exchange system in a second format corresponding to a second application profile of the second healthcare entity;   (c) receiving, by the interface engine via a second interface with a second computer system of the second healthcare entity responsive to a second request by the interface engine to the second healthcare entity via the second interface, the medical information of the patient in the second format corresponding to the second application profile of the second healthcare entity;   (d) converting, by the interface engine responsive to a message profile comprising rules on converting the medical information, the medical information to a first format identified by a first application profile of the first healthcare entity; and   (e) transmitting, by the interface engine, via the first interface the medical information in the first format to the first healthcare entity.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first interface comprises a type of interface that is different from the second interface. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (a) further comprising receiving, by the interface engine, the first request comprising the second entity identifier. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (a) further comprising receiving, by the interface engine, the first request for medical information of the patient comprising a type of medical record of the patient. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (a) further receiving, by the interface engine, the first request in the first format compatible with a first application of the first health care entity for processing medical information. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (b) further comprises transmitting, by the interface engine, the second request to the second healthcare entity via the second interface compatible with a second application of the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (c) further comprises receiving, by the interface engine, the medical information of the patient in the second format of a second application of the second healthcare entity responsive to an authorized release of the medical information by the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (c) further comprises receiving, by the interface engine, the medical information of the patient via a message type identified by the second profile of the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (d) further comprises converting, by the interface engine, the medical information from the second format of the second healthcare entity to the first format of first healthcare entity in accordance with the rules of the message profile of the first healthcare entity stored by the healthcare exchange system. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein step (e) further comprises transmitting, by the interface engine, the medical information via a message type identified by the first profile of the first healthcare entity. 
     
     
         31 . A system for exchanging healthcare information via a healthcare exchange system, the system comprising:
 an interface engine of a healthcare exchange system executing on one or more servers, the interface engine comprising:   a first interface configured to interface to a first computer system of a first healthcare entity identified via a first entity identifier of a first entity profile maintained by the healthcare exchange system and   a second interface configured to interface to a second computer system of a first healthcare entity identified via a second entity identifier of a second entity profile maintained by the healthcare exchange system; and   wherein the interface engine is configured to receive via the first interface a first request for medical information of a patient;   wherein the interface engine is configured to determine that the second healthcare entity identified via the second entity identifier stores medical information of the patient corresponding to the request, the second healthcare entity storing the medical information externally to the healthcare exchange system in a second format corresponding to a second application profile of the second healthcare entity;   wherein the interface engine is configured to receive via the second interface, responsive to a second request by the interface engine to the second healthcare entity via the second interface, the medical information of the patient in the second format corresponding to the second application profile of the second healthcare entity; and   wherein the interface engine is configured to convert, responsive to a message profile comprising rules on converting the medical information, the medical information to a first format identified by a first application profile of the first healthcare entity and transmit via the first interface the medical information in the first format to the first healthcare entity.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first interface comprises a type of interface that is different from the second interface. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first request comprises the second entity identifier. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first request for medical information of the patient comprises a type of medical record of the patient. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first format is compatible with a first application of the first healthcare entity for processing medical information and wherein the first format is not compatible with a second application of the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the interface engine is configured to transmit the second request to the second healthcare entity via the second interface compatible with a second application of the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the interface engine is configured to receive the medical information of the patient in the second format of a second application of the second healthcare entity responsive to an authorized release of the medical information by the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the interface engine is configured to receive the medical information of the patient via a message type identified by the second profile of the second healthcare entity. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the interface engine is configured to convert the medical information from the second format of the second healthcare entity to the first format of first healthcare entity in accordance with the rules of the message profile of the first healthcare entity stored by the healthcare exchange system. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the interface engine is configured to transmit the medical information via a message type identified by the first profile of the first healthcare entity.