HL7 Module FAQ

HL7 Module FAQ/Common Use Cases

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions and uses of the HL7 Module.

Can an HL7 file be saved to a local file directory without an emitter?

Yes, this can be done using the Create Text File step. If an HL7 message has already been created, be sure to map in the ER7 Text of the message. Mapping in the message will return the data's type (for example, Decisions.Hl7.Message.DFT_P03). Input configurations for this step include data and file Names.

What happens when a Hl7 Message is received?

When a message is received, it is used as input into the pre-processing Flow and goes through processing and post-processing Flows. The processing Flows allow Designers to build the intelligence (make use of data, manipulate data, etc.) of an HL7 Interface.

How are messages used as input for processing and/ or post-processing Flows?

In the backend, Decisions knows that if a pre-process Flow exists and the message is valid to use it for processing Flow and so on. The message data needs to be mapped to the output of the End step.

How can I build HL7 messages?

In a Flow, use the Create Message step. Configure the desired message type in the OutputMessage field and the version in the OutputVersion field. Under the INPUTS category, select Unknown and Build Data to configure the options for the message. To view all the supported message types, see HL7 Module Overview.

How can Envelopes be built?

Envelopes are created similarly to how HL7 Messages are made, using the Create Data with Envelope as its Type. Use the Build Array input option to add HL7 messages.

What triggers an emitter to run?

Emitters are triggered when the HL7 interface receives a message. Received messages are emitted after necessary processing has been completed throughout the Flows.

How can messages be emitted without receiving them?

A Send Message to Interface is used to send a created message/ envelope to an interface with a receiver enabled.

What if the HL7 message is not in the correct format?

The pre-processing stage of an HL7 interface can be used to alter the format of the text in the message so that it is in an acceptable format. Data is typically manipulated in this stage.

How can messages that are being sent and received be tracked?

Enable the Full or Full Batched storage mode for sent and received messages.

What database tables store HL7 message data?

These tables are added to the database after the HL7 Module is installed. This information will be stored in the following tables: hl7_received_msg_data, hl7_received_msg_header, hl7_sent_msg_data, and hl7_sent_msg_header.

If an emitted message fails to reach its destination, is that message saved somewhere?

The Emitter queues failed messages to the local file system.

Can a message type be changed after the message is created?

There is a Cast Message as Another Message Type step under HL7 > Processing Steps in the steps catalog. This step can be used to cast a message into another message type.

Do messages stored in the database get cleaned up?

Yes, it is an auto-archive entity. This means after 30 days. The entity will be marked as archived/ deleted, and after another 30 days, the entity will physically be deleted from the database. Remember that data that a user wants to save can be mapped into a user-defined type.