ISO 12967-2:2020

Overview

ISO 12967-2:2020 - Health informatics - Service architecture (HISA) - Part 2: Information viewpoint defines the information model that a HISA service architecture must implement to provide an integrated, enterprise-level store of common healthcare data. The standard is formal and technology‑agnostic: it specifies semantics, organization and object characteristics (using UML) so implementers can derive efficient physical designs in their chosen technology stack. It focuses on fundamental, common information objects rather than exhaustive local data sets, and permits controlled extensions to support local requirements.

Key Topics

• Information model semantics: formal, complete and non‑ambiguous specification of core information objects required by a service architecture.
• Technology neutrality: no assumptions on physical technologies, allowing implementation in databases, APIs, or other platforms.
• UML and notation: use of UML class diagram guidelines and a specific profile to describe classes, relationships and data types.
• GenericHisaClass structure: common structure and attribute sets (structure, class‑specific, common, system, version, extended attributes), state changes, business rules and classification criteria.
• Clusters of objects: standardized groups including:
  • Classification objects
  • Subject of care objects
  • Activity management objects
  • Clinical and health information objects
  • Resource management objects
  • User and authorization objects
  • Messaging objects
• Operational vs descriptive data: treatment of classifications, knowledge, instantiation and data types to separate descriptive metadata from operational records.
• Extensibility and governance: guidance on how to add attributes or new objects while preserving consistency; extensions follow the methodology in ISO 12967‑1:2020, Clause 7.

Applications and Who Uses It

ISO 12967-2 is aimed at organizations and professionals designing or integrating health IT systems who need a robust, enterprise-wide information layer:

• Enterprise architects and solution architects designing service architectures or shared data platforms.
• EHR/EMR vendors, health IT integrators and system implementers building interoperable services.
• Health information managers, CIOs and technical leads planning data governance and common data models.
• Standards and interoperability teams aligning local models with international semantics.

Typical uses:

• Designing a common data repository for hospitals, regional health authorities or integrated care networks.
• Creating UML-based specifications for implementers to derive concrete database schemas and APIs.
• Harmonizing data semantics across multiple applications and enabling consistent messaging and access services.

Related Standards

• ISO 12967-1:2020 (Enterprise viewpoint) - methodology for extensions and enterprise requirements
• ISO 12967-3 (Computational viewpoint) - information services and business logic access
• ISO/IEC 10746 - reference for architecture viewpoints
• ISO 13940 (Contsys) and industry standards like HL7 are referenced for terminology and alignment

Keywords: ISO 12967-2, HISA, health informatics, service architecture, information viewpoint, information model, interoperability, UML, enterprise data.