Understanding HL7: The Critical Standard for Healthcare Data Interoperability

Efficient and seamless exchange of health information is fundamental to modern healthcare. As organizations invest billions into electronic health record (EHR) systems, ensuring these systems work harmoniously becomes essential for delivering high-quality patient care. Among the vital components enabling this interoperability are industry standards like HL7, which facilitate the structured sharing of clinical data across diverse healthcare platforms. Grasping the role and importance of HL7 helps healthcare providers, developers, and stakeholders better navigate the complex landscape of health information technology.

What is HL7?

Health Level Seven (HL7) is a comprehensive set of international standards designed to govern how electronic health information is exchanged, integrated, shared, and retrieved. These standards establish the rules for structuring data, ensuring that information flows smoothly between different health systems, regardless of the vendor or technology used. HL7 plays a pivotal role in enabling interoperability, which is the ability of different information systems to communicate effectively, thereby improving clinical workflows and patient outcomes.

Healthcare organizations that adopt HL7 standards can more easily share critical operational data such as patient records, staff schedules, and lab results. This exchange supports automation and streamlines processes across multiple applications within hospitals and clinics. It’s important to note that HL7 standards do not specify how to develop healthcare applications but offer a blueprint for organizing clinical information consistently.

Supported by over 1,600 members from more than 50 countries—including healthcare providers, government agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and technology vendors—HL7 is a globally recognized framework. Its structure resembles the Dewey Decimal System used in libraries, organizing information systematically so that data retrieval remains consistent, whether in a small clinic or a nationwide health network. Many industries employ similar standards, typically accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), to ensure uniformity and compatibility.

How are HL7 and other standards used in healthcare?

HL7 standards are primarily designed as formatted messages that facilitate system integration and interoperability. These messages enable healthcare IT systems to communicate, share data, and operate cohesively. For example, HL7 supports the transfer of patient demographics, laboratory results, radiology reports, and medication information between disparate systems, reducing errors and improving efficiency.

The Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) initiative further promotes the adoption of HL7 standards by encouraging healthcare organizations to develop systems that are compatible and capable of sharing information seamlessly. IHE advocates for using established standards like HL7 to foster better coordination of care and enhance the overall quality of healthcare services.

More about APIs and FHIR

As healthcare technology advances, additional standards such as Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) have gained prominence. APIs enable two applications to communicate directly, sharing data in real-time. Traditional HL7 messaging often struggles to work efficiently with modern, nonclinical applications like mobile apps or web portals.

FHIR, which stands for “Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources” and is pronounced “Fire,” represents the latest evolution by HL7. Built on web standards such as REST (Representational State Transfer), FHIR allows health systems to exchange information using familiar internet protocols, making data more accessible and usable across various platforms. Major technology firms like Microsoft and Apple are integrating FHIR to enhance patient data sharing from personal devices, driving innovation in patient engagement and health management.

Need an example?

Spok, a leader in clinical communication solutions, leverages HL7 integration to gather data from multiple hospital systems—including EHRs, laboratory devices, radiology systems, and nurse call systems—to automate alerts and streamline team communications. These alerts can be delivered via smartphones, pagers, or other mobile devices, ensuring critical information reaches healthcare providers promptly and efficiently. This practical application underscores how HL7 standards underpin real-world healthcare communication workflows.

Challenges of HL7

Despite its widespread adoption, HL7 standards are often referred to as the “non-standard standard,” due to variations in implementation and interpretation across different organizations. This variability can hinder interoperability, making it challenging for systems to communicate flawlessly. Recognizing this, each new version of HL7 aims to tighten standards and improve consistency.

APIs and additional profiles developed by organizations like IHE help address these challenges by creating more predictable and uniform frameworks. For example, profiles specify how patient care devices should integrate “out of the box” with EHRs and communication systems, reducing setup complexity and fostering reliable data exchange.

The future of HL7

Healthcare organizations will likely continue to use a combination of standards and integration methods, as no single solution can meet every need comprehensively. The ongoing development of HL7, FHIR, and related initiatives is vital to advancing interoperability.

The future involves collaborative efforts to develop smarter and faster healthcare communication systems. For instance, IHE’s “quiet hospital” initiative aims to reduce alarm fatigue by unifying vendor standards and improving alert management. Participating in these standards development efforts allows companies like Spok to contribute to innovations that ultimately benefit patients and providers alike.

By staying engaged in HL7 and FHIR advancements, healthcare technology providers can continually improve communication infrastructures, ensuring better care delivery and operational efficiency.

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Note: This post was originally published in January 2020 and has been updated to reflect current standards and practices.