1.0 Introduction

This Technical Note describes the Harmonization Framework as amended by the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) on June 30, 2009. This amended Framework is intended to address issues in the construction and use of the HITSP artifacts.

The Harmonization Frameworkand Exchange ArchitectureTechnical Note (TN) defines the terms, concepts, relationships, and associations that are realized in the artifacts that comprise the primary work product of the Panel, e.g., an Interoperability Specification(IS), Capability (CAP), Component(C), Transaction(T), Transaction Package (TP) and Service Collaboration(SC). Further, it organizes the terms and concepts into a HITSP model based on information exchanges specific to data, context, business process, and workflow.

The IS development process is accomplished by conducting a requirements analysis of the target functional needs or capabilities in term of data flows and process work flows performed by systems, which support stakeholders. This results in identifying Information Exchange Requirements (IERs) including Data Requirements (DRs) needed to meet stakeholderneeds and enable interoperability. These Information ExchangeRequirements are then specified by selecting the Capabilities or supporting Service Collaborations, TransactionPackages, Transactions, and Components. The Harmonization Framework describes a classification of standards, regulatory guidance, selected standards and informative references. These concepts and others form the HITSP Harmonization Frameworkwhich is described in this document.

The Exchange Architecturepart of this Technical Note defines the fundamental topologies that can be used in implementing the HITSP Interoperability Specifications in configurations such as Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems directly connected to each other or connected to Health Information Exchanges (HIEs), which may be connected to the NHIE.

HITSP documents are targeted to HITSP members, stakeholders and users, which include executives, managers, analysts and implementers. To support this wide audience, this document and other HITSP documents address requirements and design separately, with a drill down from concept to technical details, and specialized material contained in separate sections.

For each reader of this document, there is a suggested reviewing road map as follows:

1. Executives, Functional Analysts and Implementers, who want a general understanding of the framework may want to review:

- Section 1.0 through Section 3.0 which presents a high level overview of the framework

2. Implementers and other readers who want a detailed understanding and examples of the framework may want to review:

- Section 4.0 HITSP Harmonization Framework Technical View, which provides detailed information about technical aspects of the framework [1]

- Section 5.0 presents examples of the HITSP Exchange Architecture, providing concrete examples of applying the framework

- Section 6.0 and 7.0 explain Standards Types and Categories that define reference types for HITSP Constructs and Usage Declarations for terms used in this TN. These sections are for the reader who wants to gain a deeper technical understanding of this TN

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