Handling HL7 messages in SAP EP

[former_member305573]

Hi all,

In our requirement we have to communicate from EP to external system, which follows HL7 standards.

We found two alternatives these are as follows:

1.HL7 Iway adapter

2.SAP conversion agent.

Is it possible to make our own adapter to convert hl7 to xml?

If yes,

What will be the required resources for that?

Can we handle this approach (without SAP XI) with help java/j2ee?

Please provide required information (any pdf, conversion tools, and sample code) and also guide us how to handle this scenario. Your help will be great for us.

Thanx in advance.

Prashant Krishen &

Deviprasad.

[Former Member]

Hello,

Before I answer your question, I want to give you our (SAP) understanding of an HL7 adapter.

An HL7 adapter shall provide the communication among healthcare applications based on healthcare HL7 standard, this means 1) HL7 message conversion e.g. HL7 message v.2.x format to HL7-XML, and 2) all the required protocols to transport the HL7 messages, e.g. MLLP, TCP/IP.

The following information which I can give you is based on SAP knowledge on the Netweaver Process Integration (PI/XI) technology.

So, generally you can do your own HL7 conversion tool. The required resource would be:

1: Person who has HL7 message structure, you may get available HL7-XML from www.hl7.org,

2: HL7 transport knowledge which could be learned from www.hl7.org,

3: Java, J2EE

All these 3 are required even you don't use SAP PI/XI.

I can provide you detailed information based on SAP technology and the one from SAP partner. Here are the link:http://service.sap.com/netweaver

On the left side from there please go to SAP NetWeaver>SAP NetWeaver in Detail>Process Integration>SAP Exchange Infrastructure>SAP XI in Detail>connectivity>Conncetivity SAP Netweaver 7.0 (2004s)/SAP NetWeaver 2004-->

You will then find details about SAP HL7 options e.g. from iWAY, SAP Conversion Agent powered by Informatica.

Again, all these are SAP and Partner's technology are on SAP Netweaver PI.

If you want one without PI, you may also use these 2 options.

I hope this could help you a little bit.

Best regards

Jing

[paolo_romano2]

Hi,

we developed our custome HL7 adapter, but, of course, you require SAP PI to manage it.

In the same instance, if you don't own SAP PI or you don't plan to use/install it, there is plenty of open source ESB that can manage HL7 communication/XML translation for you (sun open esb, just to mention)

Regards,

Paolo

[Former Member]

Hi Paolo,

Could you please share your HL7 adapter experience with us? E.g. Which HL7 version is handled? Where do you get the HL7 XML? Does your HL7 adapter cover protocol like TCP/IP, MLLP (Minimal Lower Level Protocol)?

What was the effort to build such an adapter with PI?

I think these would be interesting and helpful for the other readers as well.

Thanks!

Best regards

Jing

[paolo_romano2]

Jing,

I developed the PI HL7 adapter for handling release 2.3.1, 2.5 with various messages/events; I take the XML from an XSD collection I found; you could see it by googling 'open esb HL7BC', in the resources you should find the zipped xsd.

Of course, the adapter is MLLP enabled.

Regards,

Paolo

[Former Member]

Hi Paolo,

There are so many, not sure which one is the correct one? Could you please assist with a link? Thanks a mill

Anneke