Interoperability standard proposed for senior living

OTTAWA — The Digital Governance Standards Institute (DGSI) has launched exploratory work on a proposed National Standard of Canada to support interoperability between technology systems used in senior living environments.

The proposed standard series, Elder Living Open Architecture (ELOA): Interoperability Specifications for Senior Living Operational Technology, would establish specifications to enable operational systems such as CRM platforms, activities programming, dining services, maintenance management, and family communication tools to exchange data more effectively across the resident lifecycle.

The proposed ELOA standard is structured as a multi-part series to address different operational journeys within senior living environments. Initial components under consideration include:

• Part 1: Framework and Resident Lifecycle Model — Foundational architecture, terminology, and lifecycle definitions applicable across operational domains.
• Part 2: Admission Journey — Data exchange requirements supporting inquiry-to-move-in processes such as CRM, waitlist management, and occupancy coordination.
• Part 3: Resident Care Coordination — Data exchange requirements for ongoing operational services including activities, dining, maintenance requests, and family engagement.

Unlike clinical interoperability standards that focus on healthcare data exchange, the proposed initiative addresses operational and hospitality technology used in senior living communities. The work is intended to complement existing frameworks such as HL7 FHIR and interRAI by focusing on the systems that manage day-to-day community operations.

If advanced to development, the standard would help address technology fragmentation in retirement communities, assisted living residences, and long-term care homes by defining common data models and data exchange requirements between systems.

Stakeholders interested in participating in the exploratory work are encouraged to contact the Digital Governance Standards Institute. The proposed standard can be viewed via Interoperability Specifications for Senior Living Operational Technology.

For more information, contact:
Darryl Kingston (pictured)
Executive director
darryl.kingston@dgc-cgn.org

About the Digital Governance Standards Institute (DGSI)
The Digital Governance Standards Institute develops digital technology governance standards fit for global use. The Institute works with experts, as well as national and global partners and the public to develop national standards that reduce risk to Canadians and Canadian organizations adopting and using innovative digital technologies in today’s digital economy. The Institute is an independent division of the Digital Governance Council. To learn more about the organization and its initiatives, visit www.dgc-cgn.org or contact info@dgc-cgn.org.