Todd Fre te r

Program Manager

Web Technologies and Standards

A Java API for HL7 Vers ion 3 RIM

"Write once, run anywhere"

Useful abbrevia tions� HL7 = Hea lth Level Seven, Inc. www.hl7.org� SIG = Specia l Interest Group� V3 = Vers ion 3� RIM = Reference Information Model� RMIM = Refined Message Information Model� HMD = Hierarchical Message Definition� HIMSS = Health Information Management Systems

Society www.himss.org� ebXML = Electronic Bus iness XML www.ebxml.org� W3C = World Wide Web Consortium www.w3.org� OASIS = Organization for the Advancement of

Structured Information Standards www.oasis-open.org

Sun's HL7 work� Evange lize ebXML framework for e lectronic

business� Co-chair HL7 Java SIG� Represent Java SIG in HL7 Interoperability

events(e .g., HIMSS 2003)

� Support Java SIG code development by recruiting volunteers and funding work by experts under contract with Sun

Background: XML at HL7� Prior to 1996, HL7 developed EDI formats for

hea lthcare information interchange� "Kona Project," 1996: Explored us ing SGML in

hea lthcare� SGML/XML SIG chartered in 1997 with three

working groups Documents: Patient Record Architecture Messaging: Message encoding in XML Education: Teaching HL7 about XML

� Foundation for HL7 Vers ion 3, the XML-based standard (to be balloted this year)

HL7 Java SIG� Sponsored by HL7 Control/Query TC� Chartered to deve lop Java API to HL7 V3

RIM, which uses XML� Supported by

Sun Microsystems Oracle McKesson US Veterans Adminis tra tion Regenstrie f Institute (Univers ity of Indiana)

Goals of HL7 Java SIG� Encourage adoption of HL7 V3� Fos ter HL7 V3 application interoperability� Provide universa l HL7 API for full range of

hea lthcare applications� Provide sample implementations for

deve lopers� Encourage HL7 V3 API development for other

popular programming languages

HL7 Java SIG chronology� Approved by HL7 Technica l Steering

Committee and HL7 Board, May 2002� Approved basic API design in July 2002,

s tarted development� Accepted role in HL7 interoperability demo for

HIMSS conference, October 2002� Completed and showed API demo code a t

HIMSS, February 2003

The HL7 V3 Java API� Java classes for HL7 RIM objects� Java classes for HL7 data types� Tools :

Message builder Message parser

API des ign principles� Minimal inte rpretation

Classes re flect V3 specifications as directly as poss ible

� Universa l, not specific Classes enable any message type, not specific

message types� Inte lligent use of HL7 V3 specifica tions and

resources (e.g., HMDs)� Adaptable, "sca lable"

New message types don't require new classes

API components (1)Java classes for RIM objects� "Getters" and "se tte rs" for in-memory

message structures� Create, read instances of HL7 V3 RMIMs

API components (2)Java classes for HL7 V3 RIM data

types� 29 specific da tatypes� Many data types conta in rich methods� Specific data type handlers support API tools

API components (3)Message builder� Creates V3-compliant XML message from in-

memory RMIM instance� Uses HMD to build XML message with correct

e lements in correct order with appropria te attributes

� May a lso use XML message templa tes (under discuss ion)

API components (4)Message parser� Creates in-memory RMIM instance from V3-

compliant XML message� Uses HMD to es tablish correct data s tructure

suggested by XML e lements� Uses data type-specific handlers to evaluate

data in XML message

HL7 RMIM ins tance in memory

Java HL7 message builder

HL7 XML message

Creating V3 XML messages

EpicCare Patient Medical Records

JavaSIG Object Browser

v3r1b3

HL7 RMIM ins tance in memory

Java HL7 message parser

HL7 XML message

Pars ing V3 XML messages

EpicCare Patient Medical Records

JavaSIG Object Browser

v3r1b3

API current s tatus� "Pre liminary, incomplete prototype"

demonstrated at HIMSS 2003� Classes for HL7 V3 RIM classes : a ll

completed� Classes and handlers for HL7 V3 data types:

only 3 of 29 completed� Message parser: comple ted� Message builder: not yet s tarted

Next s teps for Java SIG� Assess current completion� Calculate requirements to complete a lpha-

leve l components� Recruit further technica l resources� Publish a tenta tive schedule for a lpha re lease

of API

Thanks for your a ttention!

Questions?

Todd Fre te r

todd.freter@sun.com "Write once,run a nywhere"