Sending Results as HL7 Messages

Overview

You can automatically send patient test results in Ovation to an SFTP host as HL7® messages that satisfy Ovation’s specification.

When this feature is configured for a requisition template, Ovation will automatically send an HL7 message to the specified SFTP host whenever a report (or a correction to a report) on a requisition that uses that template is signed.  

Note: You will require some assistance from Ovation to configure this feature. You can request this by clicking on the help beacon in the lower right corner of the application, selecting the Project Request Form option and completing the form. Ovation will follow up with you directly.

Setting up HL7 Results Export

Enabling the Feature

1. Navigate to More | Lab | Integrations
2. Choose the SFTP Export tile
3. Enable it by configuring an SFTP host as prompted (see below)
4. Ovation will activate this feature for you and provide the name of the Report Configuration to be used
5. For each requisition template for which you want this feature
   1. Navigate to the project
   2. Navigate to the Settings tab
   3. Navigate to the requisition template
   4. Navigate to Reports
   5. Select the Report Configuration from step 4
   6. Enter any Display Name
   7. Choose Add Report

Note: Ovation may do step 5 on your behalf.

Configuring an SFTP Host

You can set up an SFTP host for transferring HL7 files. You can either use your own or use Ovation's.

1. Navigate to More | Lab | Integration, choose the SFTP Export tile and choose the Configuration tab.
2. Toggle "USE OVATION HOSTED SFTP" to indicate whether you will provide the SFTP server or you want Ovation to provide it.
3. If you will provide it…
   1. HOST: Enter the URL of the host
   2. PORT: Enter the port the host uses
   3. USERNAME: Enter the username, assuring that the account has write access to the specified folder
   4. PASSWORD: Enter the corresponding
   5. SOURCE FILE PATH: Enter the file folder in which your HL7 messages will be found
4. If Ovation will provide it…
   1. The host, username and initial SSH key will be generated for you automatically.
   2. The port is 22.
   3. You can create and manage additional SSH keys as needed. 

Testing SFTP Host Configuration

If you are using your own SFTP host, you can easily test whether Ovation is able to connect to it and authenticate with the credentials you provided. Just press the Test Connection button. Ovation will attempt to connect and authenticate. If this fails, the error message received from the host will be displayed.

HL7 Format

In most cases, you will use Ovation's standard mapping, which is specified in the HL7 Specification knowledge base article. In some cases, you may be able to use a custom HL7 mapping to receive data in different segments, fields or subfields or even change acceptable values to equivalent options. To consider a such a custom engagement, click on the help beacon in the lower right corner of the application, select the Project Request Form option and complete the form. Ovation will follow up with you directly.

Using HL7 Results Export

Ovation sends the HL7 message to your configured SFTP host automatically whenever a report (or a correction to a report) is signed on a requisition that uses a template that is configured as described above. No extra steps are required.

Monitoring results

You can view the results of each attempt to send results to an SFTP host as an HL7 message.

1. Navigate to More | Lab | Integrations
2. Choose the SFTP Export tile
3. On the Event Log tab, observe all attempts to send results in the past thirty days
4. You can sort and filter the list as indicated
5. You can see the ID of the created order and navigate there by clicking on it.
6. You can also see the name of the report and navigate there by clicking on it.
7. For unsuccessful attempts, you can see a description of the error.
8. You can view and download the actual HL7 message by clicking on the link.

Re-sending results

If Ovation has already attempted to send a result to an SFTP host as an HL7 message, then you can manually request it to be sent again. Do this if an attempt fails due to a configuration issue or if for some reason the HL7 message was removed from the SFTP host and lost.

1. Navigate to More | Lab | Integrations
2. Choose the SFTP Export tile
3. On the Event Log tab, select one or more events.
4. Press the button labeled "Retry [n] Events" (where [n] is the number of events you selected).

Note that you can only retry up to 100 events at a time.

Acknowledgements

HL7®, and FHIR® are the registered trademarks of Health Level Seven International and our use of these trademarks does not constitute an endorsement by HL7.