Improve Communication With an HL7 Interface Engine
It’s not uncommon for healthcare facilities to use software from a variety of vendors. It’s also not
uncommon for these software applications to experience difficulty when they try to exchange data. Today a solution for moving data between applications effectively has emerged with HL7.
HL7 is the international message standard that facilities are using when they build their interfaces. An HL7 interface can be built using an HL7 interface system or a constructed point-to-point. What healthcare providers have learned is that an HL7 interface needs modules for sending and receiving. The vendor that programs the application creates the modules, but these vendors aren’t often in agreement regarding the specific HL7 format they use when building the modules.
The unfortunate aspect of these communication quandaries is that the vendor will change healthcare providers to create the modules that will work. If this sounds familiar, you’re probably familiar with the way vendors make money off providers when they migrate medical images from one PACS to another.
The HL7 interface engine is placed between applications, aiding in the exchange of information, whereas a point-to-point system pairs one application at a time. Facilities with an HL7 interface engine find that they can leverage data in a much less costly fashion, and in less time than what occurs with point-to-point methods.
One of the most prohibitive aspects of the point-to-point method is cost. One study concludes that a facility creating 26 endpoints could spend up to $10,000 on each for a total bill of $260,000. It can also take considerable effort – up to 75 months to complete in the worst-case scenario and 24 in a best-case scenario.
By contrast, an HL7 interface engine requires fewer endpoints, which could be a $90,000 savings and only take between 15 and 18 months to complete. Furthermore, with an interface engine, information about the connection can be viewed quickly, giving teams the time they need to respond if something looks amiss. This means the medical professional gets the patient information they need more consistently.
Proactive alerting is also a valuable perk with interface engines. All connections are monitored, but some interface engines are able to provide alerts when an issue occurs, which means something that might get by an IT professional in the monitoring process won’t be missed outright. Providers have options when it comes to how the alert system is set up.
OffSite Image Management, Inc. has the HL7 issues under control. In fact, our 360-degree solutions offer a number of advantages when it comes to communications regarding medical imaging. We use a cloud-based system that takes all the roadblocks out of the process. We can also help you save money when you break away from your current process and switch to our cloud-based, VNA solutions. Contact us today and we’ll go over the HL7 interface engine topic with you.