RDF as a Universal Healthcare Exchange Language: Realistically Achieving Semantic Interoperability

Abstract Electronic healthcare information is currently represented in a bewildering variety of incompatible data formats, models and vocabularies. To improve healthcare effectiveness and efficiency, healthcare computer systems need to be able to exchange electronic healthcare information in a machine processable form that enables semantic interoperability between systems. This paper explains how a universal healthcare exchange language can be realistically adopted in order to achieve semantic interoperability between healthcare systems. It explains why RDF is the best available candidate for such a language, and it outlines work needed to prove viability on a national or international scale