How is openEHR supposed to be used?

Question

I am researching about electronic health records (EHR). OpenEHR seems to be quite extended and appreciated in this field, as it is widely adopted. However, I fail to find how it

Answer 1

You might also want to have a look at

dev.ehrscape.com which is based on an underlying openEHR backend and

look at the GET composition call

You will see an example of JSONified openEHR data. This is a simplified version of 'canonical' openEHR data, but helps give you an idea of the genral structure

Other examples are at http://www.medvision360.com/medcloud/?lang=en, simialrly with an openEHR based data model

Here is a snippet of vital signs in json format...

{  
  "ctx":{  
    "language":"en",
    "territory":"GB",
    "composer_name":"Sr. Kristen George"
  },
  "nursing_vital_signs_observations":{  
    "vital_signs":[  
      {  
        "respirations":[  
          {  
            "any_event":[  
              {  
                "rate":[  
                  {  
                    "|magnitude":16,
                    "|unit":"/min"
                  }
                ],
                "time":[  
                  "2014-07-17T15:18:07.339+01:00"
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {  
        "blood_pressure":[  
          {  
            "any_event":[  
              {  
                "systolic":[  
                  {  
                    "|magnitude":123,
                    "|unit":"mm[Hg]"
                  }
                ],
                "diastolic":[  
                  {  
                    "|magnitude":102,
                    "|unit":"mm[Hg]"
                  }
                ],
                "time":[  
                  "2014-07-17T15:18:07.339+01:00"
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {  
        "pulse":[  
          {  
            "any_event":[  
              {  
                "heart_rate":[  
                  {  
                    "|magnitude":93,
                    "|unit":"/min"
                  }
                ],
                "time":[  
                  "2014-07-17T15:18:07.339+01:00"
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      },
      {  
        "indirect_oximetry":[  
          {  
            "any_event":[  
              {  
                "spo2":[  
                  {  
                    "|numerator":94,
                    "|denominator":100
                  }
                ],
                "time":[  
                  "2014-07-17T15:18:07.339+01:00"
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "context":[  
      {  
        "setting":[  
          {  
            "|code":"233",
            "|value":"secondary nursing care",
            "|terminology":"openehr"
          }
        ],
        "start_time":[  
          "2014-05-22T15:18:07.339+01:00"
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Answer 2

Records are compiled and transmitted in XML to other vendors or organizations. HL7 is used for sending messages such as lab orders to/from lab vendors with specific OBR and OBX.

I'm not sure what you are looking to do with your research - if you're building your own app/site, then I would suggest blue button plus. It is an initiative by the ONC and the js will parse most CCDA (XML document with patient info from EHR) documents. Look over the library on GitHub - https://github.com/blue-button/bluebutton.js

Most importantly, research the background (HITECH Act) and know the challenges (EHR interoperability). Go to HHS.gov and look over the information there. Also, you're going to need someone who knows medical terminology and codes (ICDs, CPTs, SNOMED, etc.) as well as a clinical advisor because you could have all the data in the world, but if you don't display it in a proper or meaningful way, it's essentially useless.