Eff.

16-Mar-2020 Title:RALS Generic Solicited Outbound Interface Specific Document #:D10023842

The RALSTM System

Generic Solicited Outbound Interface

Overview
The RALSTM Outbound Interface is an HL7 interface used to send patient test results from supported
medical devices to Electronic Medical Records (EMR) or Laboratory Information Systems (LIS). This
document describes the standard HL7 messaging format for a solicited (pre-ordered), unidirectional HL7
ORU message.

Interface Connection Lower Layer Protocol (LLP)

The RALSTM Outbound Interface uses the minimal lower layer protocol (LLP) over TCP/IP as described in
the HL7 version 2.4 specifications.
 The RALSTM Outbound Interface will act as the Client that initiates TCP/IP connections to the
designated IP Address and Port number on the EMR/LIS.
 The receiving system (EMR/LIS) will act as the Server that listens for connections on a specific IP
Address and Port number.

Result Messages Structure

Test results are sent using ORU messages based on the standard structure as defined in the HL7
Specification version 2.4. The basic ORU message structure is as follows:
MSH – Message Header Segment
PID – Patient Identification Segment
ORC – Common Record Control Segment (optional as segment filled in order)
[{OBR}] – Observation Request Segment
[{NTE}] – Order Comment(s)
[{OBX}] – Observation/Result Segments
[{NTE}] – Observation Note(s)

MSH – Message Header Segment

NOTE: Fields in BOLD will always contain information.
R – Required, O – Optional, X – Ignored and not valued

Field Description Option Value(s)

MSH.1 Field Separator R |
MSH.2 Encoding Characters R ^~\&
MSH.3 Sending Application R RALS
MSH.4 Sending Facility R RALS-LIS
MSH.5 Receiving Application R LAB
MSH.6 Receiving Facility R LAB
MSH.7 Date/Time of Message R Now - CCYYMMDDHHMMSS
MSH.8 Security X
MSH.9.1 Message Type R ORU
MSH.9.2 Trigger Event R R32
MSH.10 Message Control ID R RALS Unique Results Identified
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The RALSTM System

Generic Solicited Outbound Interface

MSH.11 Processing ID R P
MSH.12 Version ID R 2.4
MSH.13 Sequence Number X
MSH.14 Continuation pointer X
MSH.15 Accept acknowledgement R AL
type
MSH.16 Application R AL
acknowledgement type

PID - Patient Identification Segment

Field Description Option Value(s)
PID.1 Set ID – PID O
PID.2 Patient ID X
PID.3 Patient Identifier List O Med Rec # if Order present
PID.4 Alternate Patient ID O Episode # if Oder present
PID.5.1 Patient Last Name O if Order present
PID.5.2 Patient First Name O if Order present
PID.5.3 Patient Middle O if Order present
PID.6 Mother’s Maiden Name X
PID.7 Date/Time of Birth O if Order present
PID.8 Sex O if Order present
PID.9 Patient Alias X
: : :
PID.17 Religion X
PID.18 Patient Account Number O Account # if Order present

ORC – Order Record Control

NOTE: Segment not necessary for solicited results as segment was filled out at the time the order was placed.

Field Description Option Value(s)

ORC.1 Order Control R RE
ORC.2 Placer Order Number O
ORC.3 Filler Order Number O
ORC.4 Placer Group Number X
: : :
ORC.8 Parent X
ORC.9 Date/Time of Transaction O
ORC.10 Entered By O
ORC.11 Verified By X

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The RALSTM System

Generic Solicited Outbound Interface

ORC.12 Ordering Provider O

ORC.13 Enterer’s Location O
ORC.14 Call Back Phone Number X
: : :
ORC.16 Order Control Code Reason X
ORC.17 Entering Organization X
ORC.18 Entering Device O

OBR – Observation Request Segment

NOTE: Fields in BOLD will always contain information.
Field Description Option Value(s)
OBR.1 Set ID – OBR R [incremental value starting at 1]
OBR.2 Placer Order Number R matched Order number
OBR.3 Filler Order Number R RALSTM Unique result identified
OBR.4 Universal Service ID R Panel Code, as configured for Panel
OBR.5 Priority X
OBR.6 Requested Date/Time X
OBR.7 Observation Date/Time R Test Date/Time - CCYYMMDDHHMMSS
OBR.8 Observation End Date/Time X
: : :
OBR.14 Specimen Received Date X
Specimen Source Name or
OBR.15.1 O Result Specimen Type, if available
Code
OBR.15.2 Additives X
OBR.15.3 Free text X
OBR.15.4 Body Site O Result Specimen Site, if available
OBR.16 Ordering Provider O when available, from matched Order
OBR.17 Order Callback Phone # X
: : :
OBR.21 Filler Field 2 X
Results Status Change – Now - CCYYMMDDHHMMSS
OBR.22 R
Date/Time
OBR. 23 Charge to Practice X
OBR. 24 Diagnostic Serv Sect ID X
OBR.25 Result Status R F
OBR.26 Parent Result X
: : :
OBR.33 Assistant Result Interpreter X
OBR.34 Technician R Operator ID entered at the device
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The RALSTM System

Generic Solicited Outbound Interface

NTE – Comment Segment

NOTE: Fields in BOLD will always contain information.
Field Description Option Value
NTE.1 Set ID - NTE R [incremental value starting at 1]
NTE.2 Source of Comment X
NTE.3 Comment R Comment description(s) based on configuration
NTE.4 Comment Type X

OBX – Observation/Result Segment

NOTE: Fields in BOLD will always contain information.
Field Description Option Value(s)
OBX.1 Set ID – OBX R [incremental value starting at 1]
OBX.2 Value Type R ST – String Data
OBX.3 Observation Identifier R Result value LIS Name, as configured for Panel
OBX.4 Observation Sub-ID X
OBX.5 Observation Value R Value associated with OBX.3 1
OBX.6 Units O Units as defined by the device
OBX.7 Reference Range O As defined by device or in RALS
OBX.8 Abnormal Flags O As defined by device or in RALS
OBX.9 Probability X
OBX.10 Nature of Abnormal Test X
OBX.11 Observation Result Status R F (final result)
OBX.12 Effective Date of Reference X
: Range :
: : :
OBX.15 Producer’s ID X
OBX.16 Responsible Observer R Operator ID entered at the device

1
May be a “quantitative” (e.g. 150) or “qualitative” (e.g. POS) value depending on the device. In some cases a quantitative value
may be reported as a non-numeric values such as “HI” or “LO” when then value is outside the device limits.

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The RALSTM System

Generic Solicited Outbound Interface

Commit/Accept Acknowledgement Messages

The receiving system will respond to Result Messages with a Commit Acknowledgement. The Commit
Acknowledgement message structure is as follows:
MSH – Message Header Segment
MSA – Message Acknowledgement Segment

Example Message:
MSH|^~\&|LAB|LAB|RALS|RALS-LIS|20140815092414||ACK|20140815092414||||||
MSA|CA|20140815092353:01:9058@1||||

MSH – Message Header Segment

NOTE: Fields in BOLD will always contain information.
Field Description Option Value
MSH.1 Field Separator R |
MSH.2 Encoding Characters R ^~\&
MSH.3 Sending Application R RALS
MSH.4 Sending Facility R RALS-LIS
MSH.5 Receiving Application R LAB
MSH.6 Receiving Facility R LAB
MSH.7 Date/Time of Message R Now - CCYYMMDDHHMMSS
MSH.8 Security X
MSH.9 Message Type R ACK
MSH.10 Message Control ID R Unique LIS message control ID

MSA – Message Acknowledgement Segment

NOTE: Fields in BOLD will always contain information.
Field Description Option Value
MSA.1 Acknowledgement Code R “CA”, “CE”, “AA”, “AE”
R Message Control ID (MSH.10) from the
MSA.2 Message Control ID
corresponding Results Message
MSA.3 Text Message X
MSA.4 Expected Seq Number X
MSA.5 Delayed Ack Type X
MSA.6 Error Condition X

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