Specification levels and collaborative definition for the integration of health information systems.

In this paper, we extend our previous work for defining interoperability for health information systems into proposed documentation levels for specifying integration, and a model for defining various interoperability aspects in collaboration between integrators, health service providers and system providers. We are using these models in defining solutions for a set of different integration needs in PlugIT project in Finland. We propose collaborative definition and clear levels of integration specifications to promote adequacy, consistency and efficiency of integration solutions and software component specifications in health information systems.