Conformance Standards

The conformance standards for developing interfaces to the ministry's health information exchange (HIE) services include:

  • Application enforced rules
  • Business rules
  • Message specifications and transport protocols
  • Privacy and security rules
  • Training development and delivery

BC Conformance Standards v3.4

The following matrix provides the conformance packages for each domain:

Domain Client Registry (ZIP, 17MB) PharmaNet (ZIP, 10MB) Provider & Location Registry (ZIP, 18MB) Provincial Lab Information Solution (ZIP, 18MB)*
Overview:
Volume 1 ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑
Privacy & Security:
Volume 2 ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑
Business Rules:
Volume 3A ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑
Volume 3B ☑      
Volume 3C   ☑    
Volume 3D     ☑  
Volume 3E       ☑
Application Enforced Rules:
Volume 4A ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑
Volume 4B ☑      
Volume 4C   ☑    
Volume 4D     ☑  
Volume 4E       ☑
Transport Protocols:
Volume 5C   ☑    

Conformance Standards Description

Volume 1 – Overview and Conformance Processes (PDF, 691KB):

Provides an overview of HIE with ministry systems; outlines the content of the conformance volume set; and explains the processes and requirements for organizations to access ministry health information exchange services.

Policy for Secure Remote Access to PharmaNet v1.1 (PDF, 416KB):

Describes the information privacy and security rules that apply to end users accessing PharmaNet from a location outside a PharmaNet site, and the requirements of their organizations and their PharmaNet software vendors.

Note: End-users accessing remotely under this policy must be enrolled in PRIME. Remote access is explicitly prohibited under COMPAP and MPAP agreements.

Volume 2 – Privacy and Security (PDF, 612KB): 

Describes the information privacy and security rules that apply to all software solution providers. 

Volume 3 – Business Rules: 

Volume 3A describes the general business, privacy, and security rules that apply to all points of service (POS) accessing and exchanging health information with the Ministry.

Each domain has its own volume of business rules:

Volume 4 – Application Enforced Rules:

Volume 4A describes the general rules and controls required of applications interfacing to the ministry’s HIE services.

Each domain also has its own volume of application rules:

* Note: At this time there are no new integrations permitted to use the HIAL transport mechanism. Since the HIAL is the only transport mechanism used to integrate with PLIS, new integrations with PLIS are not permitted until a new transport mechanism is determined. There are no known timelines for a new transport mechanism for PLIS; it could potentially be a year or more. In the meantime, existing applications with access to PLIS are permitted to continue.

Volume 5 – Transport Protocols:

The following documentation provides an overview of the technical mechanisms by which POS systems can connect to ministry HIE services.

Each protocol has its own set of standards and message specifications:

Note: New vendors must use the API Gateway for PharmaNet integration. 

Glossary of Terms (PDF, 726KB):

Defines each key term, acronym, and abbreviation that is included in the BC Professional and Software Conformance Standards for Electronic Health Information Exchange.