Health Level 7 (HL7) Protocol

What Is Health Level 7 (HL7)?

HL7 is a set of international standards used by healthcare providers transferring clinical and administrative data between software applications. They focus on the application layer of the OSI model (layer or level 7), and provide data standards and methodologies so that all kinds of healthcare systems can consistently communicate clinical information.

What Are the Primary HL7 Standards?

The most commonly used HL7 standards include:

• Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR)
• Version 2.x Messaging Standard
• Version 3 Messaging Standard
• Clinical Document Architecture
• Continuity of Care Document
• Structured Product Labeling
• Clinical Context Object Workgroup

These standards are frequently implemented so that healthcare organizations can make sure their systems are interoperable and their documentation and clinical transactions are consistent with other hospitals. The goal of all HL7 standards is to prevent medical care from varying wildly by location and system.

Why Get HL7 Certified?

Healthcare IT professionals have the option to pass an industry-recognized HL7 certification and proficiency exam in order to demonstrate expertise for potential employers. This certification shows a level of understanding and commitment to the standards and protocols that many hospitals look for in their hiring processes.

There are several versions of the HL7 certification and proficiency exam, including a specific FHIR profifiency certificate and one for HL7 Clinical Documentation Architecture. You can learn more about each test, as well as schedule a certification exam, on the HL7 International website.