ISO 21549-8-2010 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 21549-8:2010 — Health informatics — Patient healthcard data — Part 8: Links. Defines the structure and elements of "links" stored on patient healthcards which act as references (pointers) to distributed patient records or to subcomponents of those records, to facilitate access via healthcards.

Abstract

ISO 21549‑8:2010 specifies a way to facilitate access to distributed patient records and/or administrative information using healthcards by defining the structure and elements of links typically stored on those cards. The standard clarifies what a link object contains and how it represents references to individual patients' records and to subcomponents; it explicitly excludes access-control, data‑protection mechanisms, access methods and other security services from its scope.

General information

• Status: Withdrawn.
• Publication date: 2010-06 (Edition 1, published June 2010).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 35.240.80 — IT applications in health care technology.
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2010).
• Number of pages: 9 (as published by ISO).

Scope

This part of ISO 21549 defines the data-object structure for "links" held on patient healthcards (ID-1 card form factor) which point to distributed clinical or administrative records. It is intended to standardize the representation of references so that healthcare systems and card-reading applications can interpret and use those links consistently. Security mechanisms, authentication, encryption and access-method specifications are explicitly outside the scope.

Key topics and requirements

• Definition of a "link" data object for patient healthcards (structure and core elements).
• Representation of references to whole patient records and to subcomponents (modules) of records.
• Card-storage considerations and concise element definitions suitable for ID‑1 healthcards.
• Interoperability intent — consistent format to enable different systems to resolve or follow links to distributed records.
• Exclusion of access-control, data-protection, access-methods and other security services (these are out of scope).
• Conformance with the broader ISO 21549 data-structure framework (see parts 1–7 for general object definitions and clinical/administrative data models).

Typical use and users

Used as a technical specification by health informatics architects, electronic health record (EHR) vendors, smart-card and card‑system implementers, national health authorities and integrators who design card-based access to distributed patient information. Typical uses include storing resolvable references on patient-held cards, enabling point-of-care systems to locate and fetch remote records, and harmonizing card data models across vendors and jurisdictions.

Related standards

ISO 21549 is a multi-part series (Patient healthcard data). Related parts include ISO 21549-1 (General structure), -2 (Common objects), -3 (Limited clinical data), -4 (Extended clinical data), -5 (Identification data), -6 (Administrative data) and -7 (Medication / electronic prescription data). These parts together define the data objects and structures used on patient healthcards.

Keywords

patient healthcard, healthcard links, ISO 21549, health informatics, card-based pointers, distributed patient records, ID-1 card, data object structure, interoperability

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 21549-8:2010 is Part 8 of the ISO 21549 series; it specifies the structure and elements of "links" stored on patient healthcards that reference distributed patient records or parts of those records.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the data-object definition for link elements on healthcards (what fields a link contains and how it represents a reference). It does not cover access control, data protection, access methods or other security services.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Health ICT architects, EHR and healthcard system vendors, smart-card integrators, healthcare providers implementing card-based access patterns, and national or regional health authorities setting card data profiles.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The standard was published in June 2010 (Edition 1) and has been marked Withdrawn by ISO; the ISO lifecycle shows the withdrawal action completed on 28 April 2025. Users should not assume it is an active current International Standard and should check for any newer replacements or national adoptions.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 21549 is a multi-part series covering patient healthcard data (parts 1 through 8 cover general structure, common objects, clinical data, identification, administrative data, medication data, and links). Implementers usually consider the series as a whole when designing card data models.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: patient healthcard; link object; distributed records; health informatics; card interoperability; ISO 21549; ID-1 card.