HL7 Overview
HL7 (Health Level 7) 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.
From a practical standpoint, HL7 has compiled a collection of message formats and related clinical standards that loosely define an ideal presentation of clinical information. Together, the standards provide a framework in which data may be exchanged.
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Sample HL7 Message
MSH|^~\&|AcmeHIS|StJohn|CATH|StJohn|20061019172719||ORM^O01|MSGID12349876|
P|2.3PID|||20301||Durden^Tyler^^^Mr.||19700312|M|||88 Punchward Dr.^^Los Angeles^CA^
11221^USA|||||||PV1||O|OP^^||||4652^Paulson^Robert|||OP|||||||||9|||||||||||||||||||||||||20061019172717|
20061019172718 ORC|NW|20061019172719
OBR|1|20061019172719||76770^Ultrasound: retroperitoneal^C4|||12349876
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The Value of HL7
Before HL7, every interface between systems was custom designed and required programming on the part of both the sending and receiving application vendors. The absence of set standards made interfaces expensive.
Today, with the advent of HL7 messaging and standards, users gain a clear advantage in their daily workflow. Whether you are an interface developer, systems analyst, or HL7 beginner, HL7 messaging makes a healthcare environment more productive by providing more information at your fingertips to work with application vendors or external healthcare providers.
HL7 Solutions
The most proven solution in utilizing HL7 messaging is an interface engine. The presence of an HL7 interface engine in a healthcare environment gives more control to your organization and saves money and time by:
- Reducing the required number of export and import endpoints
- Allowing for reuse of data between applications
- Providing an easier method to interface to new or replaced applications
- Providing the ability to monitor the entire system at one time
- Providing the ability to proactively notify interested persons using visual display and e-mail when problems arise
HL7 and NeoTool
For more than a decade, NeoTool's dedication to healthcare interfacing and the HL7 standard has made us one of the leaders in innovative healthcare interfacing solutions.
In addition to NeoIntegrate and our HL7 training classes, NeoTool offers a comprehensive range of healthcare interfacing consulting services.