NEN

On behalf of the Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport (VWS), NEN (the Royal Netherlands Standardization Institute) works as an independent foundation in collaboration with the healthcare sector to develop standards and certification schemes for Electronic Data Interchange in Healthcare. This is done through the EGIZ program. Electronic data interchange contributes to good healthcare. A healthcare provider who has the right information at the right time gains more insight into the healthcare demand and the history of a healthcare user. This enables the healthcare provider to avoid mistakes and dedicate more time to the healthcare user.

EGIZ in relation to Wegiz

Starting from July 1, 2023, the new Dutch Law on Electronic Data Exchange in Healthcare (Wet elektronische gegevensuitwisseling in de zorg - Wegiz) mandates that designated data exchanges between and among healthcare providers must take place electronically through General Measures of Governance (AMvB's).

Development of standards and certification schemes

For how healthcare providers exchange data with each other—according to agreements on language and technology—Wegiz will refer to NEN standards. NEN does not write the standards itself; the healthcare sector (including healthcare providers and software suppliers) jointly establishes the standards in various working groups. Based on the standards, software products must be certified. Healthcare providers are only allowed to use certified software products.

There are standards for generic functions, such as:

• Consent (NEN 7517)
• Identification & Authentication (NEN 7518)
• Localization (NEN 7519)

And standards for specific data exchanges, such as:

• Prescribing and dispensing medication (NEN 7503)
• Basic Care Data Set (NEN 7540)
• Image availability (NEN 7541)
• Medication and administration data (NEN 7542)
• Nursing handover (NEN 7545)

The requirements for assessment are described in a certification scheme. Certifying bodies certify based on a certification scheme. Currently, work is underway on the following certification schemes:

• Prescribing and dispensing medication (NCS 7503)
• Basic Care Data Set (NEN 7540)