A user-oriented protocol for integrating heterogeneous communication systems of medical facilities using ports.

The crucial feature of future communication systems in hospitals will be the heterogeneity between the individual systems. People working in a hospital do not communicate via data objects, but via highly complex functions like preparation of a patient report or diagnosis of patients' symptoms and signs. Essentially such tasks are accomplished by initiating remote functions in various modes of a communication system. The aim of the MEDAS protocol developed by our group is to propose a definition of such a high-level medical protocol and then to implement it. Our user-oriented protocol permits information exchange between heterogeneous systems. Modules and functions are defined. Message passing to and from a processor is realized using ports. The protocol sequence of every communication request is described. The relation of ports to the ISO model is specified. First experiences in a network for a medical school are reported.