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Health Level Seven® International

Unlocking the Power of Health Information

www.HL7.org

Overview

Health Level Seven International (HL7®) is a not-for-profit organization that develops rules and guidelines for how computer systems should exchange healthcare information. HL7 members participate in work groups that prioritize and develop HL7 standards through a consensus process. There are more than 40 work groups within HL7 dedicated to specialized areas of interest, such as developing standards for Electronic Health Record systems. HL7’s standards are widely used around the world, and many are referenced as requirements in the United States for supporting meaningful use of EHR systems.

Calling all Caregivers!

Direct input from caregivers is critical for producing standards that truly benefit the healthcare process. HL7 is excited to offer a new Caregiver Membership Program to make it easier for caregivers to weigh in on standards that are developed through HL7 and ultimately adopted in healthcare technology. Now more than ever HL7 needs participation from caregivers to ensure that standards produced offer real and practical value in supporting health information exchange. Here are five ways in which caregivers can also benefit from participation:

1. Better standards. Your voice will improve the quality and practicality of the standards HL7 develops and ultimately the quality of the products that use them.
2. No surprises. Direct participation improves your knowledge of what is available or soon to be available to support information exchange and increases your savvy in talking with colleagues and vendors about exchange strategies and product options.
3. Networking. Network with caregivers and other HL7 members who share your passion for improving technology for healthcare.
4. Intelligence. Gain insight on how the use of data standards affects your practice in supporting patient care and in improving quality and productivity.
5. Unity. There is strength in numbers as we advocate together for the use of standards in health information exchange.

HL7 Caregiver Membership is open to physicians, nurses and others who are directly engaged in providing care to patients.
Annual membership is $100.

Learn more, and join today!

Current HL7 Projects That Need Caregiver Input

Following is a short list of projects underway within HL7 that would benefit from input from the caregiver community on data requirements as well as clinical requirements for workflow and usability:

1. HL7 Electronic Health Records System Functional Model, Release 2
2. HL7 Preoperative Domain Analysis Model
3. HL7 Emergency Medical System Domain Analysis Model
4. HL7 Neonatal Functional Profile for EHR Systems
5. HL7 Cardiovascular Domain Analysis Model

Functional Models and Profiles describe requirements for EHR system capabilities. Domain Analysis Models describe workflow and data requirements within specific care domains. Contact caregivers@HL7.org for more information about these exciting projects.

Upcoming HL7 Events

HL7 hosts Working Group Meetings three times per year to provide education and an opportunity for in-person collaboration on standards development projects. Participation in HL7 meetings is a great way to learn more about HL7 and its standards and to weigh in on current projects in your areas of interest.

Working Group Meeting

January 13-18, 2012
Phoenix, AZ

HL7 Articles for Caregivers

• HL7 Caregiver Member Spotlight – James Tcheng, MD, FACC, FSCAI
• EHR System Capabilities: What Do EHRs Need to Be Able to Do? 
• Standards Key to Sharing Clinical Information
• The Importance of Standards in EHR Adoption by Specialties
• HL7 — Caregiver Member Spotlight - Terri Monk, MD, MS
• It’s the “Era of Patient Empowerment” – Are we Ready for Patients to Contribute to their Electronic Medical Records?
• Podcast with Dr. Bob Dolin - 'Making Standards Clinically Relevant'