Unilabs: Enovacom’s interoperability platform processes millions of results for Swiss lab

Context

With more than one million reports sent automatically every year and 40 sites involved in the project, the Unilabs Switzerland group has modernized its information system to facilitate data exchange between laboratories, doctors and hospitals. Unilabs used Enovacom’s Enterprise application integration (EAI) to make their hospital information system (HIS) interoperable. The impact is impressive: 

  • 150 flows created.
  • 25,000 lab results processed every week.
  • 4,000 physicians involved.

Since 2010, the ‘e-Unilabs’ electronic prescription service has delivered many benefits: test prescriptions and related monitoring processes are simplified, and information is automatically sent to doctor’s offices and other healthcare facilities.

Now, Enovacom’s interoperability technology underpins an organized and secure process that sends the results of analysis for use by relevant departments.

Thierry Müller, the IT director at Unilabs Swizerland, is impressed by the project undertaken by the Enovacom teams. He began by delving into the strategies employed for coordinating analysis requests and ensuring the secure transmission of analysis reports. These efforts are essential for facilitating seamless communication between laboratories and thousands of recipients.

Illustration Unilabs réalisation Enovacom Integration Engine EAI santé

“The Enovacom solution works so well that we forgot it existed. Enovacom’s EAI is a turnkey interoperability platform, not a toolbox that requires a strong team of developers. We can create new interfaces in plug-and-play mode, scenarios are already available, a library of integrated and managed standards and formats is available, and so on.”

Thierry Muller, Unilabs Interopérabilité Enovacom Integration Engine
Thierry Müller
IT Director, Unliabs Switzerland

An interoperability platform for caregivers

A total of over 150 flows were created across eight distinct phases. “We started with ‘low-criticality’ flows to get used to the software and test our processes with each stakeholder. This helped train the teams and clarify the procedures between Enovacom and Unilabs. We appreciated the project’s agile approach, which enabled us to integrate new urgent flows during the migration.” Despite its broad scope, the project lasted only six months.

For the team, the interoperability platform is more of a business tool than a technical one. For example, we can retrieve the information flow for a specific patient or doctor and check that the result has been transferred. Beyond everyday use, the simplified infrastructure provided by the solution, as well as very effective data exchange automation and monitoring, remain the core features. We’re able to determine whether a lab report has not been received before the intended recipient notifies us,” he added.

Image Illustration Enovacom Integration Engine plateforme d'interopérabilité

Today, more than 4,000 physicians rely on Unilabs for interoperability solutions. “We are able to provide them with the results they need on time using secure data transfers.”

“We recommend Enovacom’s solution. The team was there throughout the project. It defined its commitments clearly and delivered on them with professionalism and rigour, while remaining flexible to adapt to new needs.”

The Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg: Interoperability driving the monitoring of lab and biological data flows

Illustration Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg Enovacom Integration Engine Réalisation Intertopérabilité

Context

The Integrated BioBank of Luxembourg (IBBL) is an integrated research entity within the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH). Its teams collect, process, and analyze laboratory and biological data flows.

Given its international scope, IBBL receives a variety of data formats and structures. To effectively manage and integrate this data into its information system, IBBL needs an enterprise application integration (EAI) solution capable of centralizing all internal and external data flows within a unified platform.

  • An EAI capable of managing all types of data flows
  • JSON, HL7, CSV, XML
  • A clearer and more structured Information System (IS)

Ariane Assele-Kama, head of the IT BIS (Business & Interoperability Solution) team, is involved in standardizing the biobank’s information system.

“When I arrived at IBBL, my primary mission was to replace the laboratory flow management system. To achieve this, I aimed to formulate an IT strategy for a standardized, robust, and interoperable information system. Prior to acquiring Enovacom’s interoperability platform, we did not have a standard system to exchange data with our external partners. We had to reimplement the existing workflows comprehensively and efficiently, and integrate new projects into the platform,” she said.

Drawing on her professional experience and expertise in interoperability, Ariane Assele-Kama defined her specific needs for standardizing the institute’s data exchanges through a call for tenders.

Image Illustration Enovacom Integration Engine plateforme d'interopérabilité

“As part of the IT strategy, I aimed to build an interoperability platform based around an EAI that would exchange data with our external partners. All data coming in or out of our institution had to go through the EAI.”

Ariane Assele-Kama Témoignage Integrated Biobank of Luxembourg Enovacom Integration Engine
Ariane Assele-Kama
Head of the IT team, IBBL

The Enovacom EAI as a core component of IBBL

In response to the call for tenders, health data interoperability leader Enovacom met IBBL’s needs with its Enovacom Integration Engine. This EAI solution normalizes and standardizes data flows so that internal applications can interpret the data without the need for custom specifications. Externally, the institution also uses the EAI to align with the standards expected by its partners.

This helps transform data flows in a more user-friendly and accessible way, so samples received can be efficiently viewed, operated, and analyzed. “The advantage of our platform is that it makes monitoring and analyzing these flows visually simpler,” said Laurent Richard, Project Manager at Enovacom.

Laurent Richard Témoignage IBBL Enovacom Integration Engine Réalisation

“The interoperability platform facilitates flow transformation. It receives data in formats such as JSON, HL7, CSV or XML, verifies the presence of the necessary data, and then formats the file according to the recipient’s specifications, such as XML or JSON.”

Simplified workflows for IBBL thanks to the platform’s ergonomics

Illustration interopérabilité IBBL, Enovacom Integration Engine

By retaining the existing structure while incorporating new workflows and future projects, the IBBL teams have streamlined the architecture of their information system thanks to Enovacom’s interoperability platform.

“Our current task involves moving all of our new projects through the EAI and integrating existing ones into the platform,” explained Ariane Assele-Kama.

The focus on a single platform simplifies architecture issues for Ariane and her team.

“We no longer have to determine specific workflows for sending or receiving data via Enovacom’s EAI. We have a clear understanding of roles within our information system, with the EAI serving as the central element around which components such as microservices, endpoints, and handlers gravitate. This solution brought more clarity to our information system architecture. For example, I can now create unique external flows to deposit my data in a unique location for various partners. With this solution, we have a clearer and more structured architecture,”

Beyond the use of the interoperability platform, Ariane Assele-Kama was appreciates the benefits it brings in control and ergonomics. “Having one interface for all our flows is a real asset for our user experience. Training provided by Enovacom also enables us to autonomously create data flows or connectors. Such support strengthens our relationship with Enovacom. This solution meets our needs and I recommend it as a comprehensive platform for managing and supervising upstream and downstream data flows, and for helping to structure information system architecture.”