Question: HL7 Open source libraries

Apr 15, 2014

Question:

I work on EHR, and I want to use HL7 to communicate with different systems in a medical environment, for that I found apis (Hapi, nHapi, javasig, Everest,) and I don’t know what is the best and what are the selection criteria

Answer:

Well, what are your selection criteria? The first question is whether you are doing HL7 v2 or v3. Almost certainly, it’s v2. What language are you using? (or want to use).

Here’s some information about the libraries:

  • HAPI: an open-source, object-oriented HL7 2.x parser for Java - it also includes a number of other utilities for using HL7 v2
  • NHAPI: NHapi is a port of the original project HAPI. NHapi allows Microsoft .NET developers to easily use an HL7 2.x object model
  • Javasig: A library of code written to process V3 messages based on the MIF definitions
  • Everest:  Designed to ease the creation, formatting, and transmission of HL7v3 structures with remote systems. Supports CDA R2, and canadian messages

My evaluations:

  • HAPI - a solid well established community, with runs on the board and reliable code. I’d be happy to use this
  • nHAPI - as far as I can tell, not well established, and given it’s for an HIE, I question the long term viability of the community. Unlike HAPI, I never hear of people actually using this
  • Javasig: this is dead - note that the only link I found was to a web archive. You’d have to be desperate to try to use it, though the maintainers might get interested if you did
  • Everest: this has a community of users in Canada, but I’ve not heard of any use outside there. I’m not sure to what degree Mohawk are supporting it (I’ll ask)

You should consider one of the paid libraries - given the amount of hours you’re going to invest in the work (1000s, I bet), a few thousand for a software library and related tools is peanuts. There’s a lot of good choices there (btw, I have one of my own, which doesn’t cost that much).