The MACH | MPI lays the groundwork for the exchange of medical data across institutions. Using a powerful matching algorithm, it compares master data from different systems and links related patient data under a single, unique patient ID – a so called “Golden Record”. Integration into existing system landscapes is achieved via standardized interfaces based on HL7 or IHE integration profiles.
Matching.
The Master Patient Index module uses a combination of probabilistic and deterministic algorithms to link patient data records.
It compares patient master data from various information systems and determines whether the data belongs to the same patient. There are several steps in matching patient master data:
- Preselection of golden record candidates
- Comparison of patient master data and similarity calculation
- Alignment of results with configurable rules and thresholds
- Decision
When calculating the similarity between two master data records, various verification algorithms are used to identify different spellings and input errors. They also consider synonyms, abbreviations, and incomplete data.
Based on the calculated similarity and the configured thresholds, the Master Patient Index module links patient data records automatically or generates a new golden record.
A golden record consists of the best available demographic data for a patient and a central, unique patient number.
Patient ID Broker.
Another useful function: the MPI can be used to translate different patient identities in the sense of a message broker when data is exchanged between different information systems.
The MPI can replace the patient number of the sending system in any message or service, either with the corresponding central golden record number or with the local patient ID of the receiving system, and vice versa.
Communication Interfaces.
The MPI provides standard interfaces based on HL7 version 2 and IHE Integration Profiles – for creating, updating and deleting master data.
The following events from HL7 ADT messages (admission, discharge and transfer) are supported: A01, A04, A05, A08, A14, A18, A28, A29, A31, A34, A40. Thanks to a preprocessing option, the Master Patient Index can also be tailored to customer-specific variants of HL7 v2.x messages.
Furthermore, for the standard-based receipt, transfer, and query of patient IDs, demographic patient data, and the links between them, the Master Patient Index supports the following IHE Integration Profiles:
- Patient Demographics Query (PDQ)
- Patient Demographics Query HL7v3 (PDQv3)
- Patient Identifier Cross-Referencing (PIX)
- Patient Identifier Cross-Referencing HL7v3 (PIXv3)
- XAD-PID Change Management (XPID)
The following functions support the stability and security of the application operation as well as the processing, transfer, and forwarding of notifications:
- Buffering of notifications if the target system is temporarily unavailable
- Monitoring and control of notification traffic via an administration console
- Possibility of reprocessing (replay) incoming notifications
Security.
All interfaces provided by the module can be called up using encrypted connections (TLS).
Users and connected primary systems can access the module’s functions using:
- Log-in using a combination of username and password
- X.509 client certificate
The module generates audit notifications that are either file-based or IHE ATNA-compliant for all interface transactions (creating, changing, deleting and querying patient master data) and all actions resulting in changes to golden records and their assignments.