HL7 CDA ↔ XML transformation for patient‑record exchange
A US-based healthcare cloud provider needed a bi-directional interface to exchange patient data between an EHR and external systems. CES built a CDA document builder to transform EHR visit data from HL7 CDA to XML, and a reverse channel to parse XML back into HL7 CDA for the EHR, supporting care-document exchange and continuity of care.
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The Challenge
Bi-directional HL7 CDA ↔ XML transformation
Connecting disparate systems for patient data exchange
Reliable inbound parsing to write back to EHR DB
the client
Healthcare
Technology Stack
- Microsoft Azure
- Visual Studio
Solution Area
- Application Development | Patient Data Interoperability
the impact
Interoperability across systems
Customizable care-document content
Patient data exchange for continuum of care
Structured interface for repeatable transformations
Integration-led build.
Clean exchange in both directions.
The Need
The organization required an interface to communicate between two disparate systems and support patient data transformation and exchange. The interface had to work both ways—exporting EHR data in HL7 CDA into XML for other systems, and accepting XML from external systems back into HL7 CDA as required by the EHR.
Challenges
- Bi-directional format conversion: Transform and exchange patient data from EHR (HL7 CDA) to XML, and from XML back to HL7 CDA for the EHR.
- Care-document generation for exchange: Generate CDA documents from patient visit data for downstream exchange needs.
- Inbound channel + database write-back: Receive XML from other systems, parse it, and write it into the client’s EHR database.
System analysis for exchange design
- Performed an extensive analysis of the EHR system and the connected system to define the data exchange approach.
HL7 CDA templates + bi-directional CDA builder module
- Prepared sample HL7 CDA document templates and designed a bi-directional CDA document builder to transform patient visit data and exchange it with other systems.
Document generation support
- Generated required CDA outputs, including:
- Pre-counter document (generated when a patient appointment has been checked out)
- One-time manual trigger of longitudinal document for every patient (history of encounters)
Inbound XML channel to EHR database
- Designed a separate channel to receive information from other healthcare systems in XML format, parse it, and write it into the client’s EHR database.
- Supported interoperability between the EHR and external healthcare systems through bi-directional exchange
- Allowed users to customize the data included in the care document
- Supported EHR users in sending/receiving patient information for continuum of care
strategic client partner
Take the Next Step
If your EHR needs a bi-directional interface to exchange patient data with external systems—across HL7 CDA and XML—we can design and build the transformation and inbound processing flow with clear document outputs and controlled write-back. Talk to our Strategic Client Partner
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