During the Connectathon each IHE actor/profile combination is assigned a series of unit and system tests to perform. When a system completes the required set of tests with the required number of partners, the Connectathon managers update an electronic database to indicate that the participant completed that suite of tests. After the Connectathon is completed and after several days of review, all results that indicate completed testing are published in a common database/webserver. IHE does not publish any results that indicate an organization tried but did not complete testing.

Participants are encouraged to refer to their participation in the Connectathon in marketing and promotional materials. The appropriate language to use is to indicate that the vendor has “completed Connectathon testing of <<one or more specific IHE actors in one or more IHE integration profiles>>”.

Companies are strongly discouraged from using IHE participation to make unsupported product claims, including comparisons with other vendors. Claims using such words as “gold stars”, “certification,” and “validation” are not appropriate, as the Connectathon is not a certification event and IHE is not a certifying body. Companies using references to their IHE participation in ways that, in the view of the sponsoring organizations, violate the spirit of the initiative will risk having their names removed from the official list of IHE participants.

Again, publishing IHE Integration Statements is the best way to document your products’ IHE capabilities.