What is HL7?
In extremely general terms, HL7 is a messaging standard that enables clinical applications to exchange data. In today’s world of e-mail, FTP, Bluetooth, and high-speed downloads, that may seem passe, if not unremarkable. In the healthcare “every user and setting is unique” world, however, that type of data exchange can be challenging. Patients may take it for granted that a RIS, lab information system (LIS), hospital information system (HIS), and electronic medical record (EMR) inherently communicate with one another seamlessly. They may expect information to be sent freely between a hospital and a nearby imaging center or clinical laboratory. However, in many cases, each system speaks its own language. In 1987, in an attempt to begin solving this problem, an international community of healthcare subject matter experts and information scientists collaborated to create the HL7 standard for the exchange, management, and integration of electronic healthcare information, according to the H
HL7 is a standard for exchanging information between medical applications and is an abbreviation of “Health Level Seven”. “Level Seven” refers to the seventh OSI layer protocol for the health environment. In general terms, HL7 is a protocol for data exchange. It defines the format and the content of the messages that applications must use when exchanging data with each another in various circumstances. Hospitals and other medical institutions typically use many different types of systems to communicate with one another. Everything, from patient records to billing information, is tracked and recorded in computer systems. In order for these different types of systems to communicate with each other, they use a standard like HL7. In the computer world, a protocol is a formal, well-defined standard for exchanging information between computer applications.
Health Level Seven (HL7) is an international set of open standards for communication that allows health information systems developed independently to automatically “talk” with one another. It is rapidly becoming the global standard in this area as evidenced by the growing number of official international HL7 affiliates. HL7 standardizes the protocols and structure for exchanging key sets of health data at the application level, the seventh level of the ISO’s open systems model.
Health Level 7 (HL7) is a standards development organization that is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The HL7 creates standards that define how to represent and communicate data related to healthcare. The HL7 sets the protocols and standards for healthcare domains, such as, imaging, insurance, medical devices, pharmacy and claims processing amongst others. HL7 is made up of members of consultants, vendors, payers, providers and government groups who have a common interest in the advancement and development of standards for administrative and clinical healthcare. The vision of HL7 is to develop the best and most commonly used standards in healthcare. The mission of this organization is to provide standards that would improve the level of healthcare. The Hl7 is non-profit volunteer organization. Health level 7 follows stringent procedures that ensure openness, balance of interest and consensus. The Primary function of HL7 is to develop specifications. The m
