Approaches to integrating data within enterprise healthcare information systems.

The benefits of an Enterprise Healthcare Information System are related in large part to the degree with which its data and the processes it supports are integrated. There are several technical approaches to achieve integration. The strategic decision to put a group or several groups of applications within a single product to improve integration depends on the degree to which best of breed solutions or an integrated whole is needed. It also depends on a number of factors specific to each organization. It is important to understand the challenge of interfaces before choosing the best solution.