HL7+ Mirth Connect Training

HL7 (Health Level Seven) is an international standard used for exchanging healthcare data between different systems such as HIS, LIS, RIS, EHR, and billing systems. It ensures that patient information like demographics, lab results, orders, and reports can be shared accurately and securely.

HL7 is important because healthcare systems are developed by different vendors, and without a standard, they cannot communicate effectively. HL7 enables interoperability, reduces manual data entry, improves patient safety, and supports real-time clinical workflows.

An HL7 v2 message is made up of segments, which are divided into fields, components, and sub-components.
Segments are separated by line breaks
Fields are separated by |
Components are separated by ^

Example:

MSH|^~\&|ADT|HOSPITAL|LAB|HOSPITAL|20240101||ADT^A01|12345|P|2.5 PID|1||123456^^^HOSPITAL||DOE^JOHN||19800101|M
MSH → Message Header
PID → Patient Identification
ADT^A01 → Admit Patient message
Each segment carries specific information required for healthcare workflows.

Mirth Connect is a healthcare integration engine used to receive, transform, route, and send healthcare messages such as HL7, XML, JSON, and FHIR.
Mirth Connect works with HL7 by:
Listening for incoming HL7 messages (via LLP, File, TCP, etc.)

Parsing the message
Transforming data using JavaScript
Routing the message to one or more destinations
Sending acknowledgments (ACKs)
It acts as a middleware between healthcare systems.

A channel is the core unit in Mirth Connect that processes messages.
A channel contains:
Source Connector – Receives incoming messages
Destination Connector(s) – Sends processed messages to target systems
Filters – Decide whether a message should be processed

Transformers – Modify message content
Scripts – Custom JavaScript logic
Deployment settings – Control execution
Each message flows through the channel from source to destination.

An ACK (Acknowledgment) message confirms whether an HL7 message was successfully received and processed.
Types of ACKs:
AA – Application Accept
AE – Application Error
AR – Application Reject

Mirth Connect can:
Automatically generate ACKs
Create custom ACKs using JavaScript
Handle synchronous and asynchronous ACKs
Proper ACK handling ensures reliable message delivery.

JavaScript is used in Mirth Connect for custom logic and transformations.
Common uses:
Modify HL7 fields and segments
Apply conditional logic
Validate message values
Handle errors and exceptions
Build dynamic routing logic
JavaScript allows flexibility beyond basic mappings.

Source Connector receives messages into Mirth Connect
Examples: LLP Listener, File Reader, HTTP Listener
Destination Connector sends messages to external systems
Examples: LLP Sender, Database Writer, File Writer, Web Services
A single source can have multiple destinations.

Filters allow messages to pass or stop based on conditions.
Examples:
Message type (ADT, ORM, ORU)
Event type (A01, A04, A08)
Field values (PID-3, MSH-9)
Filters improve performance and prevent unnecessary processing.

Troubleshooting steps include:
Checking the Dashboard
Reviewing Message Browser
Analyzing Error Logs

Reprocessing failed messages
Validating transformations and scripts
This ensures stable interface operations.

Example:
HIS sends ADT^A01 message to Mirth
Mirth validates patient data
Transforms message format
Sends it to LIS and EHR
Receives ACK from both systems
This supports real-time patient admission workflows.