// HL7 Connection

Around this time last year, I did a little unscientific research to see where the HL7 jobs were - you can see my results here. With the U.S. economy in a recession, I’m not really concerned where the HL7 jobs are but if there are any jobs at all. Again, using only HL7 as a keyword on the most popular job sites, I found that the demand for people with HL7 knowledge (mostly technical) appears to be even higher than last year. I wasn’t expecting that result, but it is nice to know. Here are the unscientific stats:

The last time I checked, the FDA web site defines a Class I medical device as presenting, “minimal potential for harm to the user and often simpler in design.” The examples used are, “elastic bandages, examination gloves, and hand-held surgical instruments.” However, FDA is now proposing that the software that goes into Class III devices (for example, implantable pacemaker pulse generators and endosseous implants) should be regulated according to Class I rules. In other words, device software should be regulated in the same manner as an elastic bandage.

Hmm… Anyone else thinking this doesn’t sound like such a great idea? Adverse events on medical devices can be much more serious than pharmaceuticals due to surgical intervention. Imagine trying to remove a heart or brain pacemaker because of a software/firmware bug? I don’t see the case for reclassifying device software. If they are going to reclassify, why go from Class III to Class I? Shouldn’t they try Class II first? Anyone want to help me on this one?

[via NeoTool] FDA Device Classification

The HL7 organization is offering online courses to learn … HL7. Sounds pretty cool. I especially like the “online” part. This is from their press release:

Taught by HL7 certified professionals, participants will work on real-world exercises to learn how to confront a project involving interoperability among disparate healthcare information systems. They will also learn how to read and use the most widely used HL7 standards in the world: Versions 2 and 3, and HL7 Clinical Document Architecture (CDA).

Space is limited to a total of 100 students from Australia, China, India, Sweden and North America. Certain preconditions apply. For more information or to apply, go to the “Announcements” section of the HL7 website.

Here is the full annoucement (PDF). If you’d like to go directly to the online application, go here.

An interesting post by Dr. Barry Smith on his blog, HL7 Watch. Smith quotes a recent House of Commons meeting in the U.K. where at least one official remarks that HL7 3 is far from complete and considers its use “high risk”. Smith also raises concerns about how truly multilingual the standard is:

“The HL7 Reference Information Model or ‘RIM’ was, we will remember, introduced as the solution to the problems created by the appearance of multiple dialects in earlier versions of the HL7 standard. HL7 would prevent the appearance of dialect versions by enforcing conformity to the RIM. Now, however, it is becoming increasingly clear that the RIM itself exists in multiple dialects.”

Continue reading…

An excellent, humorous summary of HL7 from Amry Kithman of HL7 Malaysia Inc:

“You went inside a store. The shop owner started talking mandarin to you knowing too well you wouldn’t understand a single word uttered….. you smile… showed him the fake Gucci bag and start asking him in English how much it will cost (knowing too well he will not understand a single word)…. He smile back and brought out a calculator… start punching some numbers…. You cried murder. Grab the calculator and punching a smaller number… he did the same thing (with slightly higher number) … and the process will continue till both see the same number on the calculator… the calculator is the HL7 interface engine…”

[via shutterspeaks.com]