Kaiser Donates Doctor-Talk Tool

Kaiser Permanente announced on Wednesday that it is donating a translation-enabling technology to the International Healthcare Terminology Standards Development Organization.

The tool, Convergent Medical Terminology, helps translate doctor-talk into words patients will recognize while viewing their electronic health records. Instead of using detailed medical terminology, it automatically displays words such as heart attack when a patient views their e-health records.

The tool will be distributed in the United States through the Health and Human Services Department and will be available for use by a wide range of health IT developers and users, according to a press release and briefing at HHS.

"This innovation was a first step in journey that allows Kaiser Permanente to provide what we call real-time health care," said Phil Fasano, chief information officer at Kaiser Permanente.

It is a step forward, said U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra. Yet, he noted it all depends on demand from companies to use the software now available. "How the [e-health] eco-system will respond," he added.

The first delivery of the software will take place Oct. 31, and the rest of delivery schedule is currently being finalized.