ICT standardization and eHealth – a TalkStandards.com forum event

I was recently made aware of an interesting website called Talkstandards. Talkstandards has a stated goal to be “an active online community where developers, researchers, policymakers and other interested parties can share ideas and collaborate on the global standards system”.

What is most interesting is that will be hosting a live, online forum event titled “ICT Standardization and eHealth” starting at 1100 EST (1600 GMT) today. The forum isn’t open right now, but the topics look interesting:

• ICT standards and ehealth
• Can web 2.0 trump ehealth interoperability issues?
• What’s missing in US ehealth policy?
• The future challenges of the post-bureaucratic age
• Will ehealth take off in emerging markets and if so, what are the implications?

It’s good to see some community building to tackle the issue of standards and interoperability. While the US has an initiative to address standards in health care, I’ve wondered how having a plethora of options, while practically a challenge to manage, might be a strength in the long-term if we view this fragmentation in terms of bio-diversity. At this moment, I’m a big proponent of coming to consensus on interoperable standards that are used by everyone. The internet is demonstrating (in real-time) that standards allow for the most number of people to participate – and we all benefit from the collective experience.

I’m looking forward to the Talkstandards event. Not sure if I’ll have anything to contribute, but I will be observing and following the comments.