What is HL7?
Health Level Seven
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- HL7
- HL7 (Health Level Seven) is a set of international standards for the transfer of clinical and administrative health data between software applications. In laboratory settings, HL7 enables LIMS and LIS systems to communicate with hospital information systems, EHRs, and lab instruments.
The "Level Seven" refers to the seventh layer (application layer) of the OSI model. HL7 standards ensure that healthcare systems can exchange information regardless of their underlying technology, enabling seamless interoperability across the healthcare ecosystem.
HL7 Versions: v2 vs FHIR
HL7 v2.x (Legacy)
- Pipe-delimited message format
- Most widely implemented in healthcare
- Point-to-point interface model
- Flexible but can lead to variations
HL7 FHIR (Modern)
- RESTful API with JSON/XML
- Modern web-based architecture
- Resource-based data model
- Growing adoption, especially new systems
Common Use Cases in Labs
Order Entry (ORM)
Receive test orders from EHR systems with patient demographics
Result Reporting (ORU)
Send test results back to ordering providers
Bidirectional Interfaces
Two-way communication between LIS and hospital systems
Instrument Integration
Connect analyzers and instruments to LIMS/LIS
Real-time Updates
Send status updates and critical value alerts
Patient Demographics (ADT)
Sync patient information across systems
Integration Benefits
Eliminate manual data entry between systems
Reduce transcription errors
Faster turnaround times for results
Improved patient safety through accurate data
Real-time visibility into lab operations
Compliance with regulatory requirements
Standardized communication protocols
Vendor-neutral interoperability