Yeo said a main feature of HIMSS AsiaPac09 was the showcase on Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE), which improves patient care with healthcare information exchange. IHE provides a common standards-based framework for seamlessly passing health information among care providers, enabling local, regional and national health information networks.

"Optimal patient care requires efficient access to comprehensive electronic health records (EHRs) among the different enterprises," said Yeo. "The IHE framework upon which more than 300 vendors have implemented and tested their products, accelerates the adoption of the information standards needed to support EHRs.

"IHE enhances the quality of patient care, resulting in benefits such as safety through the reduction of medical errors; efficiency through lower implementation costs and more efficient workflow; and quality through better-informed medical decisions and faster results for both patient and healthcare professionals."

Malaysia's LHR approach

The welcome keynote was delivered by Health Malaysia (check), research and technical support, deputy director-general, Dato' Dr Maimunah A. Hamid, who said Malaysia's national agenda was to ensure the enhancement of the country's health service, especially through IT as an enabler. "We have identified eight service goals that include focus on wellness, person and care provided at home or close to home. Four per cent of GDP [gross domestic product] is spent on health, with more than 136 ministry of health hospitals and 229 private healthcare institutions. It is a highly-subsidised health service.