One of the frequent tasks in HL7 data-processing is “filtering” – through which you can select the messages of-interest to do further analysis and/or process. The Foldda HL7Filter handler is perhaps the most powerful HL7 filtering program you can find on the market.
Like all Foldda handlers, using HL7Filter does not require any programming, rather, you specify the task through configuration. Here is an example filter config.
<Parameter>
<Name>filtering-rule</Name>
<Value>MSH-6==HOSP_A</Value>
</Parameter>
In the above example, the filter is configured to select “messages for HOSP_A” because MSH-6 in HL7 is the data element for the “receiving facility”.
Almost as easily, you can configure the filter for more complicated conditions, for example, to select “orders placed by doctor ‘XYZ’, having finaled OBX of test-id ‘002’, with NTE contains the word ‘cancel’“, like this –
<Parameter>
<Name>filtering-rule</Name>
<Value>ORC-12==XYZ~OBX-11==F~OBX-3-1==002~NTE-3==.*cancel.*</Value>
</Parameter>
This PowerPoint presentation explains the Foldda HL7Filter in detail, and also the Foldda Expression – our unique way of addressing HL7 data elements. It shows why the HL7Filter is (perhaps arguably) the most powerful, (but definitely) the most easy-to-use, HL7-filter on Earth.
** Note in the presentation, it refers to a product named Smart Integration Express, or “Smartie”. Smartie is the early version of Foldda before the product is re-branded.