Information exchange system and method

A data storage and retrieval system for a computer, comprising:

• a repository of transaction definitions, each transaction definition representing a transaction and including:
• a property schema, defining one or more properties to be used for searching and filtering transaction objects generated in accordance with the transaction definition, and
• data container schemas for data containers included in transaction objects defined by the transaction definition;
• a searchable archive of transaction objects, each transaction object being defined by one of the transaction definitions and including:
• a set of properties, each property having a value extracted from a source file and indexed, and
• a plurality of data containers, each data container corresponding to one of the data container schemas for the transaction definition and identifying a data type and including content of a source file related to the transaction object,
• wherein at least some transaction objects have a first property and patient profile properties included in the set of properties;
• a repository of conversion definitions, each conversion definition corresponding to a file type and configured to either:
• convert a file of the file type to a transaction object, or
• convert a transaction object to a file of the file type;
• and
• a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the data storage and retrieval system, are configured to:
• receive, from a first user, a selection of a transaction type and at least one source file having a first file format,
• obtain, from the repository of conversion definitions, a first conversion definition having rules for converting the first file format to a transaction object corresponding to the transaction type,
• add a first transaction object to the searchable archive responsive to the receiving, the transaction object, the first transaction object being generated using the rules of the first conversion definition, the first transaction object being defined by a transaction definition corresponding to the transaction type and including:
• a set of properties extracted from the at least one source file in accordance with a property schema for the transaction definition corresponding to the transaction type, wherein the properties in the set of properties are indexed by respective property values and the set of properties includes a first property and patient profile properties, and
• a plurality of data containers generated for the at least one source file, each data container corresponding to one of the one or more data container schemas for the transaction definition that corresponds to-the transaction type, the data container identifying a data type and a label identifying a relationship between the data container and the transaction object, the data container storing content of the source file extracted into the data type,
• link the first transaction object with a master patient identifier based on the patient profile properties of the first transaction object matching patient profile properties of a second transaction object stored in the searchable archive,
• receive a query from a second user for transactions having the transaction type and a specific value for the first property,
• use the indexed first property to determine the transaction object is responsive to the query and to present the transaction object for importing,
• receive a request, from the second user, to import the first transaction object in a second file format,
• select, from the repository of conversion definitions, a second conversion definition having rules for converting the transaction object to the second file format,
• convert the transaction object to a destination file having the second file format according to the rules of the second conversion definition, and
• provide the destination file to the second user.