Combine 2 messages in post proc so only have 1 HL7 message

[Belinda Sams]

I need to combine two messages together into one HL7 message to go to a downstream system. One part of the message is text in OBXs to post to a report and the other part has a combination of OBRs and OBXs so the organisms and antibiotics will post to a grid. The OBRs cannot come before any of the text part of the message other wise the downstream system cuts everything off at the OBR for the text report. I cannot have two seperate messages go to the downstream system because they over write each other. I basically need the text message at the top and the message with the OBRs at the bottom. Please help.

I’ve included an example of what the final message should look like. This is not a real patient.

Topic

[Jim Kosloskey]

Belinda,

Can you be sure the two messages will come together (one right after the other) and in the correct order?

Have you checked with the sending system to see if it can combine the messages before sending – will that cause other issues?

What message content will allow you to associate the two messages?

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

[Belinda Sams]

The way it will work is a singe R01 will come through and hit 2 different translates. The text translate is first followed by the susceptibility translate. I do not think there is a way to guarantee that one will be there before the other; I’m not 100% sure though.

The message has to go through the two differnet translates because of the different code. I could combine everything into one translate but that brings up a different issue of making sure the outbound message still looks like the attached message.

Which way do you think would work best?

[Jim Kosloskey]

Belinda,

If there is one mesage to begin with, I would opt for one translate which generates one message.

I expect the different contents are in separate OBR groups.

With the information I have, I would expect to be able to accomplish what you want with little Tcl and just the Xlate Actions.

ITERATE would be prevalent of course and may also require some IF Actions.

I might expect to manage my own counters (something like %g99) which is doable without Tcl.

If you simply need to combine OBX groups from different OBR groups, into one OBR group outbound, I see that as doable.

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

[Belinda Sams]

I accomplished the one message with different counters to duplicate segments to make the necessary modifications. The problem is getting the OBRs grouped with the right OBXs at the bottom of all of the OBXs that should be text. So for example

OBX|1|TX|

OBX|2|TX|

OBX|3|TX|

OBR|1|

OBX|1|ST|

OBX|2|ST|

OBR|2|

OBX|1|ST|

OBX|2|ST|

OBX|3|ST|

OBR|3|

Does this make sense? If it is possible to do it with an outbound TCL I need some guidence on that one please. I do not even know where to start.

[Jim Kosloskey]

Belinda,

I guess I do not clearly understand your challenge.

The incoming message has OBX groups inside of OBR groups – I think that much is for certain.

Are you saying that you need all of the Text type (OBX-2 TX or ST) to be gropuped together and at the end of their respective OBR groups – or ????

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

[Belinda Sams]

I will get some examples together of the incoming message, what it looks like after going through the translate, and then what I need it to look like in order to post in the downstream system.

[Author]

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