P9
Related Practice Areas
- The Markle Common Framework: Overview and Principles
- P1: The Architecture for Privacy in a Networked Health Environment
- P4: Correctly Matching Patients with Their Records
- P5: Authentication of System Users
- P6: Patients' Access to Their Own Health Information
Additional Resources
-
Markle Common Framework for
Networked Personal Health Information - Policies in Practice: Individual Access
- Policies in Practice: The Download Capability
- Policies in Practice: Key Laws and Regualtions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Acknowledgements
Download P9: A Common Framework for Networked Personal Health Information
Appendix B: How Applications Interact with Networks
As previously disucussed, there should be a clear distinction between the role of the network and that of the end-user application. Application vendors and their clients are in a much better position to determine what sorts of data integration, manipulation interactivity, and display are required for different users. The optimal network specifies only the minimum necessary network configuration to permit flexible data access and effective protections of privacy and security. This minimalist approach will allow a great variety of personal health technology applications to connect to the network, including those applications that exist today and others yet to be developed. The diagrams below illustrate the respective roles of the network and applications:
Data Standards, Security,and Privacy
Policy: The network defines the minimum security and privacy requirements necessary to participate in the network. The sub-network organizations (SNOs) enforce these requirements among the SNO members. Actual implementation of these policies occurs at the application level.
Technology: Similarly, the network establishes which technical data standards are acceptable. Ensuring compliance with these standards is the responsibility of the SNO. The main burden, however, falls on the applications, which must be capable of sending and receiving data in a specified format.
Data Routing
The NHIN connects the SNOs, but does not touch the data shared among them. It merely allows them to connect and transport the data. SNOs route the data. Again, the main burden is on applications to supply, receive, interpret, and apply the data for end-users.
Authentication
The NHIN is not involved in the authentication of individuals or the location of their records. In each SNO, a record locater service stores identifying information on ind ividuals and pointers to each person's records. Applications authenticate users and maintain their authorization levels.
End-User Function
All end-user functions should be addressed at the application level. The network and SNO layers need not provide end-user functions.
