Unified EHR standards--is convergence possible?

This paper examines the current state of the art in standards for the electronic health record (EHR) and messaging, and proposes a theoretical design basis for the EHR which is formal yet flexible, and which takes into account many of the difficulties experienced in the past. Recommendations are given for how convergence of EHR specifications might occur, in order to achieve a unified standard suitable for all clinical and cultural contexts.