OREANDA-NEWS. May 10, 2011. Fujitsu today announced the launch of a SaaS-based regional medical network solution developed for regional healthcare institutions.

The SaaS-based solution, HumanBridge, employs Fujitsu's datacenters to relay diagnostic information, test results, medical images, report information, and other patient data that has conventionally been separately maintained by multiple regional healthcare institutions including central hospitals, outpatient clinics, and nursing homes. Without having to build a new ICT system, regional healthcare institutions can now securely access and share patient information using a network within a highly-reliable and secure cloud environment. The system makes it possible to effortlessly refer patients from an outpatient clinic to a central hospital, or transfer inpatients between hospitals.

The new service constantly allows for the secure sharing of medical information regardless of the regional institution a patient receives treatment from, thereby allowing patients to receive high-quality medical services smoothly.

By digitizing documents exchanged between healthcare institutions, such as referral forms, status reports and medical image film, as well as employing a cloud environment, each institution can reduce its annual CO2 emissions by approximately 1 to 9 tons(1).
Background

To expand medical services for local residents, regional healthcare institutions are facing the rising need to quickly build an environment for inexpensively and securely managing patient information, thus allowing seamless regional collaborations.

From its past experience in building systems that connect regional medical organizations, Fujitsu believes that personal bonds and close relationships between people are crucial for regional collaborations. In looking towards a society in which regional organizations work together to support the health of its residents as well as care for the elderly, Fujitsu is releasing the HumanBridge SaaS-based regional medical network solution to serve as a bridge between people.

Fujitsu also offers a full lineup of electronic medical record systems as well as medical business systems for all healthcare institutions, ranging from small- to large-scale establishments, in the fields of health, medical, and elderly care. Fujitsu is positioning the new service as its first step in developing cloud-based healthcare solutions for enabling PHR (personal healthcare record) systems that combine a person's entire range of personal health information, as well as PLR (personal life record) systems that integrate a person's entire range of daily life information.
Service Features
1. Inexpensively and quickly enables regional collaborations through a SaaS-based configuration

Without having to develop or retain a new ICT network system, regional healthcare institutions can quickly begin employing the service using Internet-connected PCs (including peripheral devices) and electronic medical record systems which are currently being used.
2. Secure system configuration and full-scale security provisions make managing patient information worry-free

The new service employs a secure system configuration in which patient data stored on electronic medical record systems is saved on servers (gateways) located at each healthcare institution. These servers are linked in real-time to Fujitsu's datacenters (relay centers). Fujitsu's datacenters, which serve as relay centers, feature robust facility management and full-scale security provisions, thereby allowing healthcare institutions to utilize the service safely with reassurance.
3. Can be employed by healthcare institutions under a multi-vendor environment by using standardized technology

As the service meets industry standards, such as HL7(2) and DICOM(3), for the exchange of medical information, as well as employs SS-MIX-compliant storage technology(4), healthcare institutions can seamlessly share information even if they employ electronic medical record systems built by different vendors.
Sales Target

Deployment at a total of 300 healthcare institutions by the end of fiscal 2012 (fiscal year ending March 31, 2013).
Glossary and Notes
1 Reduce its annual CO2 emissions by approximately 1 to 9 tons:
Internal calculations using environmental impact evaluation measures for software and services environments developed by Fujitsu Laboratories Limited. Using a calculation in which one 50-year-old cedar tree with a height of 20 to 30m absorbs an average of approximately 14kg of CO2 emissions per year, 1 to 9 tons is equivalent to 71 to 642 cedar trees.
2 HL7:
Health Level Seven. An international standard for the exchange of medical information such as basic patient information, hospital admittance and release, medical orders, and examination reports.
3 DICOM:
Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine. A standard developed by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA). It defines a file format for medical images captured using CT, MRI, CR or other imaging methods and a communications protocol for medical imaging devices that handle such images.
4 SS-MIX-compliant storage technology:
Acronym for a storage tool for promoting the exchange of standardized medical information between various institutions, including healthcare institutions.