When facilities build HL7 interfaces, they have a choice of constructing them point-to-point or by using an HL7 interface engine.

There are several challenges to building HL7 interfaces. An HL7 interface requires both a sending and receiving module. These modules are created by the software vendor who programmed the application. Even though both applications use the HL7 message format, they rarely agree on the specific HL7 format that is used.

This white paper provides details on how an HL7 interface engine provides more control and saves time and money in a clinical or healthcare environment. It includes a comparison of an interfaced environment using point-to-point communications and an interfaced environment using an interface engine.