Understanding the Importance of Archiving Structured Data (HL7)
Data is increasing by the second in the medical industry, which can create a problem because there are an abundance of rules and regulations on how that data is to be stored and accessed. Furthermore, physicians and specialists need access to that data so they can better care for their patients. Archiving structured data (HL7) is also part of this equation.
HL7 is a format of communication established at the national level and has also been established as the medical records communication method all across the world. Structured data, which includes medical records within a healthcare system, must be able to transfer from one system to another. This is where HL7 plays a key role as it creates rules for that transfer of information. For instance, HL7 creates rules as to where each field will land once it travels from one electronic medical record to another.
Providers need the ability to capture these messages and store them. Archiving structured data (HL7) gets a unique approach by the best vendors, as they will not capture the initial information or even the final bit of information; they are taking the message and archiving it while it moves. They are capturing the original message and every update to it.
What makes archiving structured data (HL7) interesting to deal with is that it has hundreds of customizable fields that all have an assigned place. Everyone needs HL7 integration today, but not necessarily because of Meaningful Use requirements. Meaningful Use, phase three of which affects radiology a lot, forced further expansion of electronic records and more integration with HL7.
When attached with the right vendor, providers can have their data routed back and forth through the HL7 process. The information is archived and held as long as required. Clients should also be able to play back messages, almost like a DVD player. Should a facility lose data, they should be able to play it back and repopulate their system, but only if they are working with an offsite vendor that is able to capture the information as it moves from point A to point B.
Every line of structured data has a code. When a client sends an HL7 message to another department or facility, that message is completely structured, and if there is a disaster, the offsite vendor can repopulate messages back to where they belong.
At OffSite Image Management, we’ve got a solution where clients can log in to our system and view all their data in a structured format. This is unique – no other vendor is offering this. If a client has an electronic medical records system that totally fails, or if a provider implements a new records system and doesn’t want to migrate the data, they can log on to our system and view all the information. For more information about how our system works, contact us today.