HL7 Version 3 Tooling

We'll have a look at the last known working installation of the HL7 version 3 toolstack. How does it compare to the current FHIR tooling ?

HL7 version 3 toolstack

As the inofficial HL7 historian I've been looking to add some detail to the HL7 RIM and HL7 v3 whitepaper. The original focus of that whitepaper was on the HL7 RIM, not as much on the associated HL7 Development Framework (HDF), nor on its toolstack. As it turns out there's only one known working installation of the v3 toolstack, a virtual machine environment maintained by Alexander Henket, HL7 Teamlead at Nictiz.

For some of us this'll be a blast from the past, for those of you that joined HL7 after the demise of HL7 version 3, this'll give you a flavor of the toolstack used in the 1998 - 2012 (or thereabouts) period.

RIM Database: definitions of the v3 Reference Information Model (RIM)
R-MIM Designer: supports the modelling of information models
RoseTree: model serialization tool, generates HMDs (Hierarchical Message Definitions) and MIF (Model Interchange Format)
v3 Generator: XML schema generator (based on HMDs)

HL7 v3 toolstack

Comparison with the FHIR Toolstack

Comparing the functionality of the HL7v3 tools with the current FHIR tools is tricky, given that these standards are based on different modelling principles.

RMIM designer has similar functionality as Forge, the RIM database is the v3 equivalent of the FHIR core package. MIF in HL7v3 is the equivalent of the conformance resources in FHIR.

HL7 v3 tools compared to FHIR Tools

The IG Publisher reminds me of the v3Generator: lots of command line options, tons of files in an 'input directory' that are processed into an 'output directory'. I'm not sure that's a good thing in the long run.. if there's one lesson to be learned here, it's that tooling is brittle, and it will rise and fall in conjunction with the standard it was created for.

I'd like to thank Alexander for his willingness to present an overview of the HL7 v3 toolstack and for maintaining the final working copy of the v3 tools.

-Rene

P.S.: (just for fun:) Grahame explains the purpose of the MIF (2008 video).

MIF for Dummies

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Index of columns:

HL7 Version 3 Tooling (Nov 16, 2022)
Bye bye IHE XDS and CDA. (Sep 01, 2021)
Combining the best of IHE XDS with HL7 FHIR (Jun 27, 2019)
FHIR DevDays and the year in review (Dec 27, 2018)
Creation and Curation of FHIR Profiles - process and governance (Dec 14, 2017)
Impact of the GDPR on the use of interoperability standards (Jun 27, 2017)
Next XDS Release (Oct 27, 2016)
Five years of FHIR (Aug 11, 2016)
Update from the trenches on CDA R2.1/R3 and HL7v2. (Oct 15, 2015)
Most often implemented IHE Profiles (Jun 08, 2015)
Mapping HL7v2 messages to FHIR. (Apr 13, 2015)
Recent and Future developments of the DICOM standard (Mar 06, 2014)
Documenting the history of HL7 (Sep 03, 2013)
Interoperability Standards - the no-sales pitch (Jul 09, 2013)
CDA Implementation Guides - (not) invented here (Apr 17, 2013)
Usage of IHE Profiles (Feb 25, 2013)
10 year anniversary - Dutch Ringholm HL7 v2 training courses. (Feb 19, 2013)
HL7 Connectathons (Sep 09, 2012)
Frequency of use of HL7 message types (Jul 24, 2012)
Reflections on the HL7 membership model - the affiliate life cycle (Dec 28, 2011)
RFH (Resources for Health): HL7 version 3 taken to the next step (Aug 18, 2011)
Timezone Hotel (Mar 29, 2011)
The changing role of HL7 country organizations (Jul 16, 2010)
How to lower the hurdle for HL7 v3 implementers (Jan 21, 2010)
The HL7 roadmap for CDA R3 and the CCD (Jan 17, 2009)
HL7 based Tree inventory system (Jan 30, 2007)
Workflow Bribery (Sep 15, 2006)

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