ISO/IEC (2002:12)

Interoperability refers to the ability of two or more systems (computers, communication devices, networks, software and other information technology components) to interact with one another and exchange information according to a prescribed method in order to achieve predictable results

ISO is the international standards organisation and IEC is the International Electrotechnical Commission, the standards organization for all areas of electrotechnology.

European Interoperability Framework (EIF) (2004:5)

IDABC

Interoperability means the ability of information and communication technology (ICT) systems and of the business processes they support to exchange data and to enable the sharing of information and knowledge.

The EIF deals with IOp in the area of eGovernment.

It is part of IDABC (Interoperable Delivery of European eGovernment Services to public Administrations, Businesses and Citizens), a European initiative.

CEN/ISSS (2005)

Interoperability is a state which exists between two application entities when, with regard to a specific task, one application entity can accept data from the other and perform that task in an appropriate and satisfactory manner without the need for extra operator intervention. [a clear distinction is made to the terms interface and integration – ed.note]

CEN is the European Committee for Standardization. ISSS is the Information Society Standardization System. Together CEN/ISSS provide standardization services and products.

HIMSS (2005)

In the most fundamental sense, interoperability is the ability of two or more systems or their components to exchange information and to use the information that has been exchanged.

HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) is a
US not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting a better understanding of
health care information and management systems.

NAHIT (2005)

Interoperability is the ability of different information technology systems, software applications and networks to communicate, to exchange data accurately, effectively and consistently, and to use the information that has been exchanged.

National Alliance for Health Information Technology, a US organization

Miller (2000:2)

To be interoperable one should be actively engaged in the ongoing process of ensuring that the systems, procedures and culture of an organisation are managed in such a way as to maximise opportunities for exchange and reuse of information whether internally or externally.

academic

ETSI (2005:1)

Briefly stated interoperability is the linking of systems, networks or services so that they can work together successfully.

ETSI is the European Telecommunications Standards Institute.

EICTA (w.d.)

The ability of two or more networks, systems, devices, applications or components to exchange information between them and to use the information so exchanged.

EICTA is the voice of the Information and Communication Technoloy and Consumer Electronics Industry

Federal Health Architecture (FHA) Interoperability Working Group

For the purpose of this working group interoperability will primarily correspond to the types of architectural elements discussed in the Federal Enterprise Architecture (FEA) Technical Model (TRM) v.1.1 under the Service Interface and Integration (SII) heading, with additions or omissions as deemed necessary by the Working group

Within the US department of health the FHA is one of five Lines of Business (LoB?) supporting goal to expand electronic government. The FHA is tasked with creating a consistent federal framework to facilitate communication and collaboration among all health care entities

TMA (2004:2-1.).)

Interoperability in general can be defined as "the state of having sufficient power, skills or resources to mutually or between two entities perform a function or produce an appropriate effect"

The TM Alliance consortium is a partnership between ESA, the WHO (Barcelona office),and the ITU. The successor project to TMA is TMA bridge

European Parliament

Source: FIII (2005:2 )

Interoperability means the ability of a computer program to communicate and exchange information with other computer programs and mutually to use the information which has been exchanged, including the ability to use, convert or exchange file formats, protocols, schemas, interface information or conventions, so as to permit such a computer program to work with other computer programs and with users in all the ways in which they are intended to interact.

The European Parliament used this definition in the controversial discussion on software patents (June 20, 2005).

ATIS

Source: qtd .in TMA bridge (2005)

The ability of systems, units or forces to provide services to and accept services from other systems, units, or forces and to use the services so exchanged to enable them to operate effectively together.

The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) is a U.S.-based organization that is committed to rapidly developing and promoting technical and operations standards for the communications and related information technologies industry worldwide using a pragmatic, flexible and open approach.

IEEE (2000)

Qtd, in Morris et.al (2004: 3)

Four definitions:

• the ability of two or more systems or elements to exchange information and to use the nformation that has been exchanged.
• the capability for units of equipment to work together to do useful functions.
• the capability, promoted but not guaranteed by joint conformance with a given set of standards, that enables heterogeneous equipment, generally built by various vendors, to work together in a network environment.
• the ability of two or more systems or components to exchange information in a heterogeneous network and use that information.

The IEEE is a US non-profit, technical professional association. The full name is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.

Morris et. al (2004:3)

The ability of a set of communicating entities to (1) exchange specified state data and (2) operate on that state data according to specified, agreed-upon, operational semantics.

A study of interoperability in the military context.

Document

IOp Subdivisions

IDABC/EIF 2004

Technical/semantic/organisational

CEN/ISSS 2005 (part 1)

Functional/syntactic/semantic

NAHIT (2005)

4 levels: non-electronic data, machine transportable data, machine organisable data and machine interpretable data all technical

TMA (2004)

Political/social/organisational/technical

Miller (2000)

Technical/semantic/political-human/inter-community/legal/international

Mykkänen and Korplea

(Plug-IT project)

Technical interfaces/Technical infrastructure/Application infrastructure/Functional interfaces/Semantics/Functional reference model/Development process interfaces (different phase of the development life circle)

ETSI (2005: 3)

Inter-standard interoperability and conformity and interoperability tests as part of technical interoperability

LISI (1998)

qtd. In Morris et,al (2004: 5)

Isolated/connected/functional/domain/enterprise

OIM

(Clark 199 qtd in Morris et,al 2004: 5)

Independent/ad hoc/collaborative/integrated (also called combined/unified)

Tolks (2003)

qtd, in Morris et al (2004:9)

EIF (2004:16)

Technical interoperability covers the technical issues of linking computer systems and services. Key aspects include open interfaces, interconnection services, data integration and middleware, data presentation and exchange, accessibility and security services.

HIMSS

Technical dimension of interoperability include uniform movement of healthcare data, uniform presentation of data, uniform user controls, uniform safeguarding data security and integrity, uniform protection of patient confidentiality, uniform assurance of a common degree of service quality.

TMA (2004:2-3)

Technical interoperability consists in being able to communicate and interact between two systems coming from different manufacturers. The functional goal is to allow data to be exchanged between different projects in multiple countries using different equipments, software etc. from multiple manufacturers or vendors (p.2-3.).

EIF (2004:16)

Semantic Interoperability is concerned with ensuring that the precise meaning of exchanged information is understandable by any other application that was not initially developed for this purpose. (EIF 2004:16). It thus enables systems to combine received information with other information resources.

WHO/EC Workshop on interoperability of e-health systems with special reference to semantic interoperability (V4). Initial considerations.

Using a "holistic" (p.12) definition the goal of semantic interoperability is to "improve ‘communication’ on medial and health related aspects both among humans and machines" (p.11). In order to achieve this, a two pronged approach is necessary: achieving a unified health ontology (longer-term) and tackle concrete and clearly delineated issues (short term). Within semantic interoperability various dimensions, such as medial/administrative or human/machines levels can be distinguished (p.12).

CEN/ISSS (2005:39)

CEN/ISSS stresses that semantic interoperability is not an "all-or nothing" concept. That is "the degree of semantic interoperability depends on the level of agreement between sender and receiver regarding the terminology, and the content of archetypes and templates to be used".

Rossi-Mori (2005)

Rossi Mori distinguishes between two kinds of semantic IOp, each suitable in particular circumstances. In administrative and organisational contexts or for orders and reports "fine grained" IOp, based on detailed data structures and on coded values is suitable. When situations are poorly predictable, such as in clinical situations "coarse-grained" semantic IOp is the only viable solution. Coarse grained semantic IOp consists of basic structures, independent from the particular clinical issues. For intermediate solutions, several evidence based clinical pathways may be suitable. Rossi recommends that research should focus on developing the criteria to define the optimal level of semantic IOp.

EIF (2004: 16)

Organisational interoperability is concerned "with defining business goals, modelling business processes and bringing about the collaboration of administrators that wish to exchange information and may have different internal structures and processes". Moreover, organisational interoperability aims to be user friendly.

TMA (2004:2-4)

Organisational interoperability is defined as the state where the organizational components of the health system are able to perform seamlessly together. The vision is "an integrated health system that provides efficient, effective and holistic citizen-centred services based on the principles of Health for All-Access, Equity and Solidarity".

European Commission

Communication on a European eHealth Area Com (2004) 356

Source: qtd in TMA bridge (2005:2)

Interoperability should enable the integration of heterogeneous systems, allow secure and fast access to comparable public health data & patient information located in different places over a wide variety of wired and wireless services.

TMA-bridge (20052-2)

The ultimate objective of eHealth operability is to allow different people from different countries (meaning having different habits, traditions, cultures, languages) to easily communicate different data and interact with different systems coming from different manufacturers or vendors with the same results (p.2-2).

US Department of Health (RFI 2004:2)

Interoperability is the ability to exchange patient health information among disparate clinicians and other authorized entities in real time and under stringent security, privacy and other protections