Abstract:
Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector faces persistent challenges in implementing a unified
Electronic Health Record (EHR) system due to fragmented infrastructures, limited
interoperability, and increasing demands for patient mobility. Existing platforms such as
HHIMS operate in silos, restricting seamless data exchange and collaboration among
healthcare stakeholders. This research proposes a novel ontology-driven, cloud-based EHR
framework to enhance accessibility, semantic interoperability, and collaboration across Sri
Lankan healthcare institutions. Using the Soft Design Science Methodology (SDSM), the
study introduces a three-dimensional ontological model that captures stakeholder
perspectives, healthcare information flows, and service process architecture. The ontology
will be developed through stakeholder-based modeling and aligned with international health
data standards such as HL7 FHIR, openEHR, and DICOM to ensure technical compatibility
and semantic consistency. Unlike existing international implementations, this framework
focuses on adaptability to low-resource environments and localization within the Sri Lankan
healthcare context. Furthermore, ontology-based reasoning will enable AI and Machine
Learning (AI/ML) applications for predictive analytics, such as disease trend forecasting and
drug requirement estimation, enhancing evidence-based decision-making. A Proof of
Concept (PoC) will be developed in collaboration with the University of Sri
Jayewardenepura Medical Center and the ICTA’s HHIMS system to validate its feasibility.
The expected outcomes include improved interoperability, secure data sharing, and
enhanced decision support, contributing to a scalable national EHR framework suited to Sri
Lanka’s healthcare ecosystem.
