This document contains the specifications for version 2.3 of the Health Level Seven (HL7) Standard for electronic data exchange in healthcare environments, with special emphasis on inpatient acute care facilities (i.e., hospitals). It summarizes the work of a committee of healthcare providers (users), vendors and consultants established in March 1987 on the occasion of a conference hosted by Dr. Sam Schultz at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Its participants, who represent users as well as vendors, share a common goal of simplifying the implementation of interfaces between computer applications from different, and often competing, vendors. This committee, which subsequently became known as the HL7 Working Group, endeavors to standardize the format and protocol for the exchange of certain key sets of data among healthcare computer application systems. Meetings are held approximately every four months in scattered locations throughout the United States. HL7 sanctioned national groups also exist in many other countries outside of the United States including Australia, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Canada.
This document is being presented to interested parties. It is a status report that is periodically published to solicit the involvement of the broadest possible group of participants as this protocol is being put into use. Comments are solicited on all aspects of the Standard.
This effort is expected to yield a voluntary, ad hoc standard that is open to all who develop healthcare data processing systems. As the Standard has been put into production, experience has been gained and is reflected in this latest revision.
There have been two parallel efforts over the last two years since the last Standard publication (version 2.2). First, version 2.3 represents an evolutionary change over version 2.2 that was published in December 1994. Version 2.3 is the result of more than two years work, and thousands of hours of volunteer effort by active HL7 members since the publication of version 2.2. Its primary goals include maintaining backward compatibility with version 2.2, correcting errors discovered after the publication of 2.2, and extending the Standard within the format and context of version 2.2.
HL7 is operating under formal bylaws and balloting procedures. These procedures are modeled on the balloting procedures of other relevant healthcare industry computer messaging standards organizations (e.g., ASTM) and are designed to conform to the requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). In June 1994, HL7 became an ANSI Accreditied Standards Developing Organization. HL7 is participating in ANSIs Health Information Standards Board (HISB).
HL7, as an organization, has experienced significant growth over the last two years. Currently, HL7 has over 1500 members in all membership categories and regularly attracts 250-300 members and non-members to each of its three yearly meetings. As of mid-1996, HL7 had documented several hundred healthcare provider organizations that have implemented computer interfaces based on the HL7 Standard. It is possible for a healthcare provider institution to use HL7 without actually being an HL7 member through a member vendor or through outright purchase of the Standard without joining HL7.