HL7 (Health Level 7) is a set of international standards for the exchange, management, and integration of electronic health information. The HL7 organization was founded in 1987, and since then, it has developed a wide range of standards that have been widely adopted in the healthcare industry. HL7 standards are used for the exchange of clinical, financial, and administrative data, and they are essential for promoting interoperability and the exchange of health information across different healthcare providers and systems.
HL7 standards are developed by a large community of stakeholders, including healthcare providers, vendors, and standards organizations. The standards are designed to be flexible and extensible, which means that they can be easily customized to meet the specific needs of different healthcare providers and systems. The HL7 organization also provides tools and resources to help healthcare providers and vendors implement HL7 standards effectively.
The HL7 standards cover a wide range of areas, including clinical data, administrative data, financial data, and messaging. Here are some of the main HL7 standards:
- HL7 v2.x: This is the most widely used HL7 standard and is used for the exchange of clinical and administrative data. HL7 v2.x uses a message-based approach, which means that data is exchanged between systems using a series of messages. Each message contains a specific set of data elements, which can be customized to meet the needs of different healthcare providers and systems.
- HL7 v3: This standard is used for the exchange of clinical, financial, and administrative data. HL7 v3 uses an object-oriented approach, which means that data is represented as objects that can be easily exchanged and integrated between different healthcare providers and systems.
- CDA (Clinical Document Architecture): This is a standard for the exchange of clinical documents, such as discharge summaries and progress notes. CDA documents are based on XML and provide a structured way of exchanging clinical information between different healthcare providers and systems.
- FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources): This is a newer standard that uses a resource-based approach to exchange clinical data. FHIR is designed to be easy to use and implement and uses modern web technologies, such as RESTful APIs.
- DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine): This is a standard for the exchange of medical images and related information. DICOM is used to exchange images between different healthcare providers and systems, such as radiology departments and hospitals.
HL7 Implementation
HL7 is implemented in different ways depending on the specific healthcare information system being used. In general, HL7 messages are transmitted between different systems using a variety of communication protocols, such as TCP/IP and HTTP.
HL7 messages can be generated and processed by a wide range of healthcare information systems, including electronic health record (EHR) systems, laboratory information systems, radiology information systems, and clinical decision support systems.
One of the key benefits of HL7 is its ability to promote interoperability between different healthcare systems, which allows patient information to be easily shared and used by different healthcare providers and organizations. HL7 also provides a framework for the development of new healthcare IT systems, which can be easily integrated with existing healthcare IT systems.
HL7 Tools and Software
There are a number of tools and software systems available for working with HL7 messages and related data. These tools and software systems range from simple message viewers for viewing HL7 messages, to more complex systems for managing HL7 messages and related data.
Some of the most common tools and software systems for working with HL7 include:
- HL7 message viewers: These are simple tools that allow HL7 messages to be viewed on a computer screen. HL7 message viewers are typically used by healthcare providers to view HL7 messages and diagnose patient conditions.
- Interface engines: These are more complex software systems that are used for managing HL7 messages and related data. Interface engines are typically used by hospitals and clinics to process and route HL7 messages between different healthcare systems.
- HL7 toolkits: These are software development kits (SDKs) that provide a set of libraries and tools for working with HL7 messages and related data. HL7 toolkits are typically used by software developers to build applications that work with HL7 messages and related data.
Summary
HL7 standards are essential for the exchange, management, and integration of electronic health information. The standards are developed by a large community of stakeholders and are designed to be flexible and extensible, which means that they can be easily customized to meet the specific needs of different healthcare providers and systems. With the continued growth of electronic health information, HL7 standards are likely to become even more important in promoting interoperability and the exchange of health information between different healthcare providers and systems.