Transcript HL7 Overview - CodeConcept

HL7 Overview
Gliwice
January 10th, 2009
Agenda

What is HL7?

HL7 in Healthcare Management Systems

Message structure

Message encoding schemes

HL7 tools
What is HL7 (Health Level Seven)?
• Protocol for data exchange between computer
systems in health care environments.
• Defines messages as they are exchanged and the
procedures used for exchanging them.
• Refers to the top layer (Level 7) of OSI/ISO layer
model (see next slide).
• ANSI standard since 1997 most widely used in
USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
What is HL7 (Health Level Seven)?
Application
Presentation
Session
Transport
Network
Data-Link
Physical
Type of network communication
(e-mail, telnet, FTP, HL7)
Data conversion, encryption
Controlling dialogues (sessions).
Establishing, terminating and
restarting connection.
Routing, reliable data
TCP/IP transport between two
computers
Network adapter: Ethernet, wireless
Ethernet
Physical link: Ethernet cable, RS-232,
optical link
What is HL7 (Health Level Seven)?
HL7 contains message standards covering:
• Patient Administration
• Orders for Clinical Services and Observations,
Pharmacy, Nutrition and Supplies order entry
• Patient Accounting and Charges
• Observation Reporting
• Document Management Services
• Appointment Scheduling
• Laboratory Automation
• Personnel Management
• …
Agenda

What is HL7?

HL7 in Healthcare Management Systems

Message structure

Message encoding schemes

HL7 tools
HL7 in Healthcare
Management System
Agenda

What is HL7?

HL7 in Healthcare Management Systems

Message structure

Message encoding schemes

HL7 tools
Message structure
HL7 messages are made up of segments
•
•
•
•
Segments are units that comprise messages.
A segment is defined as a sequence of fields.
Both segments and fields may appear more than once in a message.
Examples of HL7 message segments:
• MSH - Message Header
information about a message
• EVN - Event Type
event information
• PID - Patient Identification
information about a patient
• NK1 - Next of Kin
information about the patient's other related parties
• OBR - Observation Request
information about an order
• OBX - Observation Report
information about a result
Message structure
HL7 Message Example
Message structure
Types of messages
Most applicable HL7 messages for communicating HIS
and diagnostic systems:
• ACK – General Acknowledgment message
• ORM – General Order message
• ORR – General Order Response message
• ORU – Unsolicited Transmission of Observation
Message structure
Data Exchange
• No data exchange, messaging and communication
technologies are determined by HL7.
• Frequently used protocols in HL7 implementations:
 LLP (Lower Layer Protocol) – TCP/IP based
 SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) – XML
based
 Batch Files – messages in text files exchanged
by FTP and SMTP or offline via a tape or a
diskette
Agenda

What is HL7?

HL7 in Healthcare Management Systems

Message structure

Message encoding schemes

HL7 tools
Message encoding schemes
HL7 uses two encoding schemes:
• HL7 ER, also known as 'traditional' HL7 format;
 used for HL7 versions 2.x
• XML
 primary encoding scheme for HL7 v 3.0
 can be used for HL7 v 2.x in environments
where sender and receiver both understand
XML
Message encoding schemes
HL7 ER
Sample message encoded in HL7 ER format
Message encoding schemes
XML
Sample message encoded using XML scheme
<!DOCTYPE ACK SYSTEM "hl7_v231.dtd">
<ACK>
<MSH>
<MSH.1>|</MSH.1>
<MSH.2>^~\&amp;</MSH.2>
<MSH.3>
<HD.1>LAB</HD.1>
<HD.2>foo</HD.2>
<HD.3>bar</HD.3>
</MSH.3>
<MSH.4><HD.1>767543</HD.1></MSH.4>
<MSH.5><HD.1>ADT</HD.1></MSH.5>
<MSH.6><HD.1>767543</HD.1></MSH.6>
<MSH.7>19900314130405</MSH.7>
...
...
</MSH>
Message encoding schemes
HL7 is not Plug & Play
• Some vendors do not follow HL7 rules close enough.
• The same data could be placed in different segments
of different HL7 implementations.
• Not all data types may be coded using standard HL7
format. For these types vendor specific messages
and fields must be used.
• When deploying system utilizing HL7 interface, it
still must be adapted to hospital-specific
requirements.
Agenda

What is HL7?

HL7 in Healthcare Management Systems

Message structure

Message encoding schemes

HL7 tools
HL7 tools
There are many HL7 tools assisting developers in
the following areas:
• Parsing and converting messages.
• Validating messages in accordance with HL7
standard and user-defined rules.
• Simulating HL7 message sender (e.g. HIS) for
diagnostic purposes.
• Networking features required for HL7: TCP/IP
sockets, FTP, SOAP, other.
HL7 tools
• Chameleon, Iguana, Interfaceware
http://www.interfaceware.com
• ProtoGen/HL7
http://aurora.regenstrief.org/~gunther
• BizTalk Server and BizTalk Accelerator for HL7
http://www.microsoft.com/biztalk/evaluation/hl7/
default.mspx
Many thanks for your
attention!
Iwona Machowska
Marketing & New Business Manager
Tel. +48 600 375 376
Email: [email protected]
Ul. Toszecka 101/222
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