Implementation of a cross-sector patient portal for digital admission and treatment management with integrated HIS connection for both inpatient and outpatient patients of the University Hospital of Cologne

LOT-0001
KHZG FTB2 Patient Portal.
The goal is the comprehensive implementation of a cross-sector patient portal for digital admission and treatment management with integrated HIS connection for both inpatient and outpatient patients of the University Hospital of Cologne, to enable cross-sector communication and digital information exchange between providers and recipients before, during, and after hospital treatment. The patient portal must gradually access a large number of different IT systems existing at UKK in various ways: transfer data, send data, invoke certain functions - bidirectional interfaces must be established.

Interoperability is the basic prerequisite for networking all stakeholders involved in care. Besides the fundamental functions required by the KHZG funding guidelines (“must criteria”) for a patient portal, the focus for the UKK patient portal is particularly on two additional topics: Firstly, the processing of wearable data and the systematic extraction of all data from the patient portal in structured form plays a special role - especially with regard to (clinical) research. Secondly, strengthening intersectoral networking takes center stage. Therefore, great value is placed on a referring portal, which ensures exchange with upstream providers and thus ensures continuity of care.

To act flexibly with the patient portal in the long term and to create a basis for networking with external partners, a Medical Interoperability Platform (MIOP) is also to be established in the future. With the establishment of the MIOP, UKK is creating the basis for cross-sector networking with all service providers that also meet interoperability requirements. The MIOP must be connected to the existing UKK IT infrastructure via FHIR/IHE structures (in an initial expansion phase alternatively via HL7 V2.3). The construction of the MIOP is another project in addition to the patient portal and has been applied for as an independent project within the framework of KHZG. Therefore, the technical establishment of the MIOP is not part of this tender. However, it is required that the procured patient portal must be connectable to the MIOP to be established by the client.

By connecting the patient portal to the MIOP, a fundamental and future-oriented solution is to be created. The requirements for interoperability, as well as the use of all transactions of the telematics infrastructure according to the Fifth Book of the Social Code, must be included.

In addition to the technical establishment of the patient portal, many UKK processes must be adapted or newly established. The introduction of new functions and the associated change processes must occur gradually. As such, the patient portal is to be built up step by step.

In addition to the MIOP, the University Hospital of Cologne also plans to establish a telemedicine portal. This is also not part of this tender. However, there is also a requirement for the procured patient portal to be sensibly connected via interfaces to a telemedicine portal yet to be procured.

Details can be found in Appendix 1 to these awarding documents.