Background Materials

Overview of the Health Level Seven (HL7) Balloting Process
Briefly, the HL7 balloting process is designed to allow input from anyone who will be affected by the standard being proposed. Because HL7 sets standards for national adoption, it must follow strict rules set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). HL7 is accountable for conforming to these rules, and its records are audited regularly.

Ballots are conducted at two levels: Committee and Membership. The committee is an international group of experts working within HL7 to create the initial standard model, in this case, the EHR model. The committee is known as the Health Level Seven Electronic Health Record Special Interest Group or, more conveniently, HL7 EHR SIG. By the time a proposal is put to ballot before the HL7 membership, it has been vetted by the HL7 EHR SIG.
Click here for the Overview of the Health Level Seven (HL7) Balloting Process.
Last updated: January 12, 2004

HL7 Ballot
The HL7 EHR Special Interest Group has reviewed the responses to the first ballot. Based on input and feedback to the first ballot, there will be a second ballot forthcoming.
Last updated: January 12, 2004

IOM Report: Key Capabilities of an Electronic Health Record System
The IOM released its report, Key Capabilities of an Electronic Health Record System, on July 31, 2003. In it, the IOM identifies four care settings in which EHRs can be used. Within the four care settings, the IOM has identified several functions that it recommends should be included in an EHR.

A copy of the report can be downloaded from this site: Click here.
Or, you may access it via http://books.nap.edu/html/ehr/NI000427.pdf
Last updated: January 12, 2004