Question: v3 Lab Ordering Support

Nov 26, 2012

Question I have read about some articles utilizing some HL7 v3 Laboratory interactions such as Order Fulfillment Request (POLB_IN211100) and order confirm response (POLB_IN221000). But in current version of HL7 standard Laboratory domain only result related interactions are listed. Where can I find definitions of these interactions and trigger events? I searched them on internet but find few information.

Answer

Well, the key point is this quote from the v3 lab topic (part of the v3 specification):

The scope of Laboratory Release 1 is restricted to the Result Topic

In the earlier versions of the Laboratory topic, up until Sept 2006, the laboratroy cycle included these interactions, and a general ordering pattern. However they were withdrawn in January 2007 ballot, with this comment:

LabSIG has withdrawn the domain ballot for Lab with the intent to ballot by topic. The reason for this is to recognize the work being done by the Orders/Observations committee to develop a common order (now defined as Composite Order) and the work being developed by LabSIG to take the existing balloted material to create result topic. By splitting out the lab domain ballot by topic provides the flexibility to support the work in development by the multiple domains working with Orders/Observations to develop a common order with each domain adopting an implementation constraint for the common order for their area.

The composite order was balloted in May 2009. The direct link to this (HL7 members only) is: http://www.hl7.org/v3ballotarchive_temp_4698CDC3-1C23-BA17-0C1027B887D05D69/v3ballot2009MAY/html/domains/uvor/uvor.htm. Note that a subsequent ballot was postponed - I don’t know where it stands now (though it is not normative).