Question: PRD segment in ORM and ORU messages?
May 17, 2015Question:
Can the PRD segment be included in the HL7 ORM message and ORU messages?This would allow clear identification of Referring Provider and Consulting Provider.
Answer:
The PRD segment is not part of the base HL7 definition for either the ORM or ORU messages.
I think that the intent is that you’d exchange the full details of Referring and Consulting Providers via some other means of transfer, such as Master File Messages (see chapter 8 of the HL7 v2 standard).
Of course, that kind of approach won’t work for some of the ways in which ORM and ORU messages are used - e.g. where the sender and receiver aren’t tightly bound in a single institution. So you can add the PRD segement if you want, but you’ll have to ensure that all the parties involved in the exchange know that it will be there and why it’s there. I’d add it after the ORC segment.