Using an ECG reference ontology for semantic interoperability of ECG data

In this paper we test the hypothesis that a domain reference ontology of the electrocardiogram (ECG) can be employed in an effective manner to achieve semantic integration between ECG data standards. Several standardization initiatives, namely AHA/MIT-BIH (Physionet), SCP-ECG and HL7 aECG, have led to heterogeneous conceptualizations of the ECG domain. We then argue that a shared anchor, the biomedical reality under scrutiny, can effectively support the semantic integration of these ECG standards into a coherent ECG representation for the sake of a unified Electronic Health Record (EHR) model. Our hypothesis is tested by means of an integration experiment that uses, on the one hand, an ECG Ontology and, on the other hand, elicited conceptual models of the ECG standards. As a conclusion, we attest the hypothesis and also provide an integration table depicting correspondence links between entities in the ECG Ontology and elements in the ECG standards. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.