Design of an integrated, patient-based clinical database system based on the CEN/TC251 'VITAL' ENV standard

Standardization is a key issue in the field of biosignals acquisition and storage. By easing the interoperability between medical devices and telemedical information systems, it facilitates telemedicine system design and health care center collaboration, thus enhancing the quality of delivered sanitary assistance. While in the field of medical imaging the DICOM standard has gained widespread acceptance, in the field of biomedical signals acquisition and storage many alternatives still exist. In this paper, we investigate the feasibility and validity of the implementation of an integrated, patient-based clinical database compliant with the CEN/TC251 Vital Sign Information Representation (VITAL) ENV standard. Both the conceptual model and the implementation of the clinical database are presented. To validate the applicability and the performance of the proposed solution, the designed database has been tested into an advanced telemedicine platform addressing crucial healthcare scenarios.