Does HL7 require SOAP?

Question

Is HL7 required for SOAP 1.1 as a web service protocol?

Will it be compatible with HL7 if the transport protocol is implemented using REST?

Will HL7 accept REST as a transport protocol now or in the future?

I understand that REST is an “architecture” that satisfies many standards. By REST, I mean transporting a formatted XML schema of information over an established REST.

Please note: Before you agree with this, close this question, please read HL7. This is similar to a programming question if a token ring can be carried over a network.

Answer 1

You do not specifically indicate whether you are referring to HL7V2 or HL7V3, in each case there may be different answers.

As for HL7V3, there are various transport mechanisms, including file sharing using physical media, web services and SOAP, and truly REST-based mechanisms.

I would call you http://www.projecthdata.org/ a project that specifically considers HL7 and REST

Answer 2

Suppose you are using HL7 Version 2.xx (for example, 99.9% of the rest of the world). And the simple answer is that you cannot exchange HL7 over the Internet to / from your web service. Do not let this bring you down. The problem is not with you. You can create a beautiful web service for HL7 messages that are easy to understand and publish, but your problem is the same problem as everyone else, this is your HL7 trading partner (the other guy you really need for HL7 messaging with) .

Since each HL7 interface is a coordination between the two systems, and since you are dealing with profit-making companies, finding ANYONE who wants to change his system only for the privilege of exchanging HL7 messages with YOU is practically nothing. Most likely, you will come across a trading partner who wrote THEIR OWN beautiful web service HL7, which would be happy if you changed your system to use them.

Now there is a solution that you can use TODAY, which is compatible with the HL7 system, compatible with ANY HL7 version 2.xx, which will allow you to interact with it with your web service. This is new, and in fact it is very simple to implement, and it is called Postmaster UltraPort HL7.

Here is a link to online help http://www.hermetechnz.com/documentation/UltraPort/FSPM/common_use_scenarios.htm . Look at script number 2 on this page.

Hope this helps you.