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HL7 terms to better understand what is HL7. Each HL7 standard message is composed of groups and segments where:

• Groups contain segments or groups
• Segments contain fields
• Fields contain components
• Components contain sub-components

Cardinality for these groups, segments, fields, components, and sub-components are defined using the following markers:

[Square Brackets] indicate something is optional; and
{Curly Brackets} indicate something is repeatable.

To explain how these markers are used to indicate segment cardinality, the ADT^A01 message fragment is defined below:

MSH Exactly one required message header
EVN Exactly one event segment
PID Exactly one patient ID segment
[PD1] Zero or one demographic segment
[ { NK1 } ] Zero to n next-of-kin segments
PV1 Exactly one patient visit segment
…
[ Start of optional, repeatable group
{ IN1 If group is in message, exactly one IN1
[ IN2 ] For each group in message, 0 or 1 IN2
[ IN3 ] For each group in message, 0 or 1 IN3
}
] End of optional, repeatable group

Visit our HL7 Overview page for additional information.

What is HL7?  HL7 is a Standards Developing Organization accredited by the American National Standards Institute to author consensus-based standards representing a broad view from healthcare system stakeholders. What this definition means from a practical standpoint is that HL7 has compiled a collection of message formats and related clinical standards that loosely define an ideal presentation of clinical information, and together the standards provide a framework in which data may be exchanged.

The HL7 standard is often called the “non-standard standard.” While not entirely fair, it does reflect the fact that almost every hospital, clinic, imaging center, lab, and care facility is “special” and, therefore, there is no such thing as a standard business or clinical model for interacting with patients, clinical data, or related personnel.

Visit our HL7 Overview page for additional information.