HL7 Messaging Standard Version v2.8

This document contains the specifications for Version 2.8 of the Health Level Seven (HL7) Standard for electronic data exchange in healthcare environments, with special emphasis on hospitals. It serves as a way for different applications and data architectures within a similar system environment to communicate with each other. Specifically, it addresses the interfaces of various healthcare IT systems that send or receive patient admissions/registration, discharge or transfer data, queries, resource and patient scheduling, orders, results, clinical observations, billing, master file update information, medical records, scheduling, patient referral, patient care, clinical laboratory automation, application management and personnel management messages.

The standard represents a major revision to Version 2.7.

Global changes were to a number of chapters that include updates to existing messages, and addition of new messages and domains based on submissions by the HL7 membership.

Main sections:

· Control – data types, conformance, code tables

· Patient administration

· Order entry: general, laboratory, dietary, supply, blood transfusion

· Order entry: pharmacy/treatment, vaccination

· Queries

· Financial management

· Observation reporting

· Master files

· Medical records/Information management

· Scheduling

· Patient referral

· Patient care

· Clinical laboratory automation

· Application management

· Personnel management

· Claims and reimbursement

· Materials management