HL7 [Health Level 7] - Standards

Standards

Even today in many hospitals, there are different computer systems for different activities i.e. medical billing, patient tracking, pharmacy billing etc. In such a scenario, most of them are unable to communicate or interface with each other on account of absence in an appropriate networking system. To overcome this deficiency, HL7 has specified a number of flexible guidelines, standards and methodologies wherein varied healthcare systems can interface or communicate with each other without any hindrances. The guidelines by HL 7 are basically a set of rules and regulations that allows information to be shared and processed in a consistent and uniform manner. In turn, this allows the healthcare organizations to have access and mutually share clincal informatics data between the collaborating organizations.

HL7 has developed the following Healthcare Products & Services namely:-

a) Conceptual Standards i.e. HL7 RIM

b) Document Standards i.e. HL7 CDA

c) Application Standards i.e. HL7 CCOW

d) Messaging Standards i.e. HL7 with versions - v2.x and v3.0

Messaging standards are given prime importance. It is the messaging standards that define how information should be packaged, presented and communicated from one customer to another. With such standardized features the language, structure and data types required for seamless integration from one system to another sets the product or service rolling. The product life cycle and its various phases are given equal importance by HL7 standards.

Interoperability by HL7 standards

• It is essential to note that HL7 does not create or provide any software. Instead HL7 provides guidelines and specifications to organizations in order to make their systems interoperable. The strategies adopted by HL7 for interoperability of healthcare systems are enlisted below:

• Development of coherent and extendible standards by incorporating formal methodology.
• To collaborate with healthcare providers, healthcare information users and healthcare standard development organizations.
• Promoting the usage of HL7 standards across the globe.
• To educate healthcare industry and policymakers regarding the importance of HL7 standards.
• To enable Healthcare and Life-Sciences domain experts to initiate, develop and implement healthcare information standards in their respective areas of expertise.