System Design with Health Level 7 Web-Based Electronic Healthcare Service for Mobile Clients

Abstract

This paper highlights the standards and technical specifications peridically brought out by HL7 towards promoting e-healthcare information interoperability. HL7 messaging standard version 2 suffered shortcomings, confronted with problems and issues of compatibility. Hence HL7 version 3 was introduced but was criticized for its internal inconsistencies, complex nature resulting in expensive implementation, though it addressed the problems in version 2. HL7 v2.x, v3 and CDA all suffered limitations with regard to non-XML segments and their effective implementation. To bridge the gaps, FHIR with RESTful API was introduced in 2011with heavy expectations from the implementers. The advantages of the vast experiences gained from the discussions and implementation of previous versions of HL7 standards helped in the designing of HL7 FHIR. Though interoperability is beginning to transform healthcare and accelerating at a rapid pace, problems in integrating and exchanging information continur to persist. Many have begun to raise the question, “When is FHIR going to be done.” This paper presents both the negative and positive views, along with a focusing a stream of consciousness reflected in a slogan on the future of interoperability. Keywords: eHea