1. Selecting, Supporting, and Maintaining HL7 Messaging for The LRN Labs: The LIMS Integration Project
Cindy Vinion (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
Jason Scott (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Public Health Informatics
The findings and conclusions in this presentation are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2. Objectives Attendees will learn:
The history and purpose of the LIMSi project
How LIMSi works with the CDC's LRN Program and other Data Consumers to define the business needs for data exchange
The standards, guidelines, policies, and other projects that influence LIMSi

3. Objectives (cont'd) Attendees will learn:
The methods and deliverables of the LIMSi project
The LIMSi change management process and workgroup structure
Laboratory tools and assistance provided by LIMSi
Future messaging plans for LIMSi

4. LIMSi History LIMSi grew out of 2 initiatives / projects:
LRN Real-Time Data Exchange
LRN Results Messenger – fulfills immediate need for electronic data exchange
LIMSi - provides tools, guidance, and infrastructure components to equip labs to meet this need using their own systems.
PHIN - "a national initiative to improve the capacity of public health to use and exchange information electronically by promoting the use of standards, defining functional and technical requirements" (PHIN Website)

5. LIMSi History (cont'd) LRN Labs expressed the desire to:
Eliminate the double data entry necessary when using LRN RM
Utilize own LIMS and other informatics tools in use in the labs
Optimize information flow
Enable system interoperability
Meet PHIN requirements

6. LIMSi Purpose Mission:
Support the greater mission of the LRN (see
Facilitate the integration of LRN facilities into PHIN
Ensure LRN laboratories achieve informatics preparedness
Goal: Each LRN participant has the ability to electronically exchange LRN laboratory data directly through their systems adhering to PHIN and other federal requirements

7. LIMSi Purpose - In Short
LIMSi supports messaging integration efforts between public health facilities and the CDC LRN Programs

8. Business Needs Discovery
LIMSi works with Data Consumers such as CDC's LRN Program to identify:
What data is needed and/or wanted
Who they want the data from
When or under what conditions do they want the data
Who else should get the data

9. Business Needs Discovery - Input
LRN Processes, Policies, Protocols & Procedures
Data Messaging Policy
Business Processes
Agent Testing Procedures
Technical, Messaging, Vocabulary Guidance & Policies
PHIN Message
PHIN Vocabulary Standards
Other Guidance

10. Business Needs Discovery - Output
Data Collection Requirements
Data Configuration - fields to support, required and optional, in the LIMS or data collection system
Field Validations - any business rules to support
Test Configuration - list of LRN agents, tests, and results

11. Business Needs Discovery – Output (cont'd)
Message Generation Requirements
Message Format - which HL7 message, encoding rules, layout, etc
Data Mapping - tool to map from database to message
Standard Vocabulary - tool to map from local or internal codes to standard codes

12. LIMSi Influences Projects Guidance Programs SDOs Partners NAHLN PHLIP
LRN RM
Influenza
Branch
APHL
PHIN
Programs
HITSP
AHIC
LRN-C
LIMSi
BioWatch
LRN-B
EPA
(SRS)
HL7
States
LIMS
Vendors
Labs
LOINC
SNOMED
SDOs
Partners

13. METHODS

14. LIMSi “Community of Practice”
ELR
RM Team
LRN LABS
PHLIP
APHL
Collaboration with LRN labs
Parallel messaging efforts
LOINC
SNOMED
LRN-C
LRN-B
HL7
PHIN
Close Interaction with key business owners & policymakers
CCB
Subgroup
Structured Change Management
Stakeholders’ Approval Board (Governance)
CCB
Controlled & vetted changes/additions

15. Change Management Process
LRN-B
LRN-C
PHIN
LRN-RM
APHL
HL7
ELR
PHLIP

16. Structured Collaboration
“Cross-pollination” efforts with parallel initiatives
ELR (people & message structure)
PHLIP (people, message structure, & vocabulary)
Change Management Subgroup
LIMSi Workgroup
"Message structure" indicates populating the same information in the same message field or segment if available in the message.

17. LIMSi Workgroup
Consists of key representatives from LRN laboratories wishing to integrate with CDC
Bi-weekly collaborative sessions
Updates to LRN configuration & messaging requirements
Demos of implemented systems
Progress & lessons learned
Web-based information sharing & collaboration tool

18. Future Messaging Plans
LRN-B Routine Test Result Message
LRN-B Proficiency Test Result Message
LRN-C Result Message
Test Request Message
BioWatch Result Message (TBD)
Vocabulary and other configuration data messages

19. LIMS Integration Team CDC Team Supporting LIMS Integration
Emory Meeks, Enterprise Laboratory Systems Coordinator
Jennifer McGehee, Sr. Public Health Informatician
Jon Lipsky, LIMS Integration Program Manager (Contractor)
Jason Scott, LIMS Integration Business Analyst (Contractor)
Heather Yarde, Lab, Vocabulary, & LOINC/SNOMED Subject Matter Expert (Contractor)
Cindy Vinion, LIMS Integration Interface Analyst (Contractor)

20. To Become Involved...
For more information, please contact the LRN Helpdesk at or

21. Questions