An investigation into health informatics and related standards in China

OBJECTIVE: To describe the current status of and future plans for health informatics and related standards in China and analyze the problems raised in the process of standardization for health informatics. METHODS: Data were collected through investigation and interviews, complemented by a comprehensive review of relevant literatures and regulations/law documents about health informatics and related standards in China. RESULTS: Health informatics has been greatly developed in China. Significant resources were committed to construct and improve the health information system. Approximately 35-40% of hospitals have constructed hospital information system. Over 80% of medical organizations above the county/district level, 27% of town level hospitals and all CDC above the county/district level can transmit real-time epidemic situation reporting through public health information system. However, lack of standards became a bottleneck to utilize and improve health informatics. China has adopted some vocabulary, classification, coding standards and message standards. Moreover, several national standardization actions for health informatics have been taken. In the process of standardization, the main barriers consist of financial, technical, cultural and language problems, legal and ethical concerns and others. CONCLUSIONS: Informatics has the potential to play an important role in China's healthcare reform process and standards are the basis for the information sharing and interoperability. Governments and partners of health informatics have realized the importance of standards and taken the initiatives in trying to solve the problem of lacking standards, but much work still needs to be done.