A simple, practical and easy-to-follow Explanation of how to make Different Versions of HL7 V2.x Interoperate.
Are the Different Versions of HL7 V2.x Interoperable?
Are all the different V2.x Standards compatible or do all HL7 systems and interfaces in our Organisation have to be the same version? Will V2.3.1 communicate with the new V2.7?
The question of compatibility and interoperability between different versions of HL7 is often asked. Many systems designers are concerned that HL7-compliant systems using different versions of HL7 (e.g. V2.3.1, V2.4, V2.5, V2.5.1, V2.6 and the new V2.7) will not be compatible. Quite the contrary is true: HL7 has been singularly successful in getting different versions of HL7 to interoperate. HL7 has precise rules for compatibility between
its versions. These rules allow the sending and receiving of HL7 messages and converting their contents to data values with full backward compatibility between all 2.x versions of HL7.
As a result, messages created by systems using all HL7 standards of the V2.x series are fully compatible - if the business rules of sending and receiving systems are the same and the implementations have adhered to the HL7 version compatibility guidelines. These guidelines are not well-known and even less well-understood.
In summary the rules are:
New messages that may be part of a newer version of HL7 are ignored by any older versions.
A newer version of HL7 may add new segments to a message, preferably at the end of the message.
A newer version of HL7 may add new fields to the end of a segment, new components to the end of a field, new subcomponents to the end of a component, and a non-repeating field may be made repeating.
New segments, fields, components, subcomponents and extra repetitions that are included in a newer version of HL7 are ignored by the older version.
If a non-repeating field is made repeating in a newer version of HL7, the first instance of that repeating field must have the same meaning as the non-repeating field had in the older versions of HL7.
The older version of HL7 ignores segments, fields, components, subcomponents and extra repetitions of a field that are present in the message from the newer version but were not expected.
Treat segments that were expected but are not present as consisting entirely of fields that are not present.
Data types may be enhanced in a newer version of HL7 if the leftmost parts of the data type has the same meaning as it had in the prior version of HL7 and new parts are added to the end of the data type structure.
In practice, correct implementation of the HL7 V2.x inter-version compatibility rules allows different versions of HL7 to exchange data without any significant problems. Of course, new functionality added by a newer version may not be supported by an older version. In this case the business rules of interoperating must be agreed on by sender and receiver.
Please Click 'Like' and 'Follow' to Stay-in-Touch with the latest HL7 Developments:
NEW: Meaningful Use and Beyond: A Guide for IT Staff in Health Care
- Are you ready to take your IT skills to the healthcare industry?
This concise book explains how the US healthcare system is implementing Electronic Health Records ("EHRs") and other IT systems to comply with the US government’s Meaningful Use requirements. A tremendous opportunity for tens of thousands of IT professionals, the Meaningful Use program requires a complete makeover of archaic paper records systems, cumbersome workflows and other outdated practices.
This book describes in detail how hospitals and doctors’ offices differ from other organizations that use IT and explains how to bridge the gap between clinicians and IT staff.
Electronic Health Records For Dummies
- a helpful, plain-English guide for doctors, nurses and healthcare administrators to understand, implement and use an Electronic Health Record system.
Health Care Information Systems: A Practical Approach for Health Care Management
- the Best Selling textbook in the field.
Mark Leavitt, MD, PhD, CCHIT Chairman said "With health care information technology now in the national policy spotlight, this book should be required reading for every health care administrator and student.
The HL7 CDA Book
- by eminent expert Keith Boone provides clear and easy-to-use CDA implementation guidance with numerous examples.
The reader will learn not only how to implement the CDA standard, but also to understand its idioms and to "speak" the CDA language.
Introduction to HL7 V2.x Messaging (2nd Edition)
- the most popular HL7 V2.x Messaging introductory Textbook. Mike Henderson is widely recognized as a most experienced HL7 V2.x teacher and trainer.
He regularly teaches at the HL7 Education Summits in the US and co-authors the HL7 V2.x Analyst Certification exams.
HL7 V2.x Messaging Study Guide
- the Study Guide to the above Textbook. Both books are considered mandatory reading and study for candidates sitting the HL7 International V2.x Analyst Certification exam.
Principles of Health Interoperability HL7 and SNOMED
- Healthcare depends on the two leading standards HL7 and SNOMED CT for functional and semantic interoperability.
Tim is one of the most experienced teachers of both HL7 V3 and SNOMED CT.
'; break; }
case 2: {
/* Mozilla: Firefox */
echo '';
echo '
'; break; }
case 3: {
/* ClickBank: RealWritingJobs */
echo '';
echo '
'; break; }
case 4: {
/* Sedo */
echo '';
echo '
'; break; }
case 5: {
/* Crazy Domains */
echo '';
echo '
'; break; }
case 6: {
/* GoDaddy */
echo '';
echo '
'; break; }
case 7: {
/* SmartHome */
echo '';
echo '
';
echo '
'; break; }
}
?>
; ?>20&l=ur2&o=1){kind=small}
