HL7 Messaging Standard Version 2.6

This document contains the specifications for Version 2.6 of the Health Level Seven (HL7) messaging standard for electronic data exchange in all healthcare environments, with special emphasis on inpatient acute care facilities (hospitals). It standardises the format and protocol for the exchange of certain key sets of data among healthcare computer application systems. It supersedes version 2.5 of the standard.

Main sections:

· Introduction

· Control

· Data types

· Conformance

· Patient administration

· Order entry

· Query

· Financial management

· Observation reporting

· Master files

· Medical records

· Scheduling

· Patient referral

· Patient care

· Clinical laboratory automation

· Application management

· Personnel management

· Claims and reimbursement

· Materials management

· Appendix A: Data definition tables

· Appendix: B: Lower layer protocols

· Appendix C: Version 2.6 BNF message descriptions