Getting it together Integrated healthcare system

摘要

IN JUNE 2004 ORION was ranked among the top 100 health technology firms in the USA by Healthcare Informatics magazine. It was placed 98th on the list, and was the third fastest growing, with revenues rising 57% between 2002 and 2003. Orion began the development of its standards-based integration and workflow software technology to support health reforms in the early 1990s. New Zealand was the first country to establish a National Health Index (NHI number) for every citizen, and rapidly became a leader in the art of getting health systems to talk to each other. Senior telecommunications consultant and messaging standards guru Ian McRae, formed Orion Systems in 1993 to develop messaging software and bid for the contract to develop the New Zealand Health Information Network, which was required to support the NHI. "Significant research" pointed to the emerging Health Level 7 family of international messaging standards as a technically good option, says Mr McRae.