BulkCopy not copying optional empty BLG segments

[Erik Mueller]

Hi,

I am running into an issue and was wondering what people’s thoughts were on it.

We are receiving an OMG^O19 HL7 2.4 variant message.

The BLG segment is defined as optional.

It has multiple ORC/OBRs as follows, with two of the ORC/OBR pairs being followed by an empty BLG segment.

Quote:

2(1).0(0).ORC(0)  :  >|NW|ABC70135|||||^^^201610061420^^1||201610061420|C4365952||C4365952|ABCLPWD1||||420||||^^ABCLP< 2(1).0(0).OBR(0)  :  >|||ABC70135|CVCOY|1|201610061420|||||||||||||||||||||^^^201610061420^^1|||B< 2(1).2(0).BLG(0)  :  >|< 2(2).0(0).ORC(0)  :  >|NW|ABC70135|||||^^^201610061420^^1||201610061420|C4365952||C4365952|ABCLPWD1||||420||||^^ABCLP< 2(2).0(0).OBR(0)  :  >|||ABC70135|CNEPLD|1|201610061420|||||||||||||||||||||^^^201610061420^^1|||B< 2(2).2(0).BLG(0)  :  >|< 2(3).0(0).ORC(0)  :  >|NW|ABC70135|||||^^^201610061420^^1||201610061420|C4365952||C4365952|ABCLPWD1||||420||||^^ABCLP< 2(3).0(0).OBR(0)  :  >|||ABC70135|CHIPR|1|201610061420|||||||||||||||||||||^^^201610061420^^1|||B<

The xlate has a BulkCopy, but it does not copy the empty BLG segments:

Quote:

2(1).0(0).ORC(0)  :  >|NW|ABC70135|||||^^^201610061420^^1||201610061420|C4365952||C4365952|ABCLPWD1||||420||||^^ABCLP< 2(1).0(0).OBR(0)  :  >|||ABC70135|CVCOY|1|201610061420|||||||||||||||||||||^^^201610061420^^1|||B< 2(2).0(0).ORC(0)  :  >|NW|ABC70135|||||^^^201610061420^^1||201610061420|C4365952||C4365952|ABCLPWD1||||420||||^^ABCLP< 2(2).0(0).OBR(0)  :  >|||ABC70135|CNEPLD|1|201610061420|||||||||||||||||||||^^^201610061420^^1|||B< 2(3).0(0).ORC(0)  :  >|NW|ABC70135|||||^^^201610061420^^1||201610061420|C4365952||C4365952|ABCLPWD1||||420||||^^ABCLP< 2(3).0(0).OBR(0)  :  >|||ABC70135|CHIPR|1|201610061420|||||||||||||||||||||^^^201610061420^^1|||B<

I can get the BulkCopy to copy the BLG segment if I do either of the following:

1. Populate the BLG segment

2. Make the BLG segment mandatory

Does anybody else think this is a bug? Shouldn’t BulkCopy, copy over empty segments even if they are optional?

Should I be able to do an iterate on group 2 and PathCopy the empty BLG segments? I did try but was unable to. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Erik

Topic

[Jim Kosloskey]

IMHO not a bug.

The segment and all of its fields are defined as optional thus should not even exist unless there is data for at least one field.

In truth the issue lies with the sending system. It should not be sending a segment defined as optional and no required fields.

I am assuming when talking to the sending system they acknowledge the BLG is indeed optional for them.

If the receiving system wants an empty optional segment you have choices as how to make that happen. My preference is to alter the receiving systems variant to make the BLG required. That makes it abundantly clear the receiving system will get a BLG segment if all other conditions are correct.

Excuse me while I get out my soapbox (warning -rant coming…) 😯

Really this all should have come to light during a proper specification session – I know we are rarely allowed that luxury but that is where these kinds of things should come to light before anything is built.

Personally I am not a fan of BULKCOPY in general. It has its uses but in my opinion is used way too often. In my experience many if not most of the integrations I have done would have required modifications after the BULKCOPY. This becomes messy very quickly. I have assisted others trying to figure out how their messages can get around the use of BULKCOPY. Many of those eventual solutions would have been much clearer and more easily maintained if proper analysis was done before building and BULKCOPY not even used.

Off my soapbox now  🙂

email: jim.kosloskey@jim-kosloskey.com 29+ years Cloverleaf, 59 years IT - old fart.

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