1. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Modelling Clinical Information Using UML Tim Benson Abies Ltd tim.benson@abies.co.uk

2. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Overview Show how UML class diagrams add value to the HL7 v3 development process Focus is on detailed Requirements specification and data element definitions (Glossary)

3. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd The Problem HL7 v3 is a foreign language to clinicians HL7 RMIMs are specialised tools for developing healthcare message XML schemas Not suited for capturing requirements Formal class names based on structural attributes Small number of common attribute names based on the RIM Pre-defined Data Types and Vocabulary

4. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd The Solution Specify message requirements in detail using: Visual data modelling (UML class diagrams) Glossary - detailed definition of every data item in context Then map to HL7 RMIM

5. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Iterative Development HL7 is concerned with the whole process - not just drafting documents

6. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Phases

7. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd HL7 Message Development Framework (MDF) 1999

8. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd What is a model? Two sorts of model: To describe the real world Can never be “right” To design and build things Specification Always a simplification

9. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Models and Diagrams Model is all information in a project Model may include Glossary Model is much more than a collection of diagrams Each diagram is just one view on a Model Most models contain dozens of diagrams

10. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Real World Models

11. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Specification Models

12. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd OMG MOF (meta object facility) M3 meta-metamodel M2 meta-model, meta-metadata (languages) M1 model, meta-data (standards) M0 data (systems)

13. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Matrix Base standards (M3) UMLXML HL7 architecture (M2) VocabularyRIMDataTypes Specification (M1) Requirement Specification RMIM HMD XML Schema Testing Use (M0)Operation

14. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd UML Unified Modelling Language Mandated in e-GIF OMG standard UML 1.1 1997 Version 1.4 2000 UML 2.0 2003 MDA Model Driven Architecture XMI (XML Metadata Interchange)

15. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd UML Diagrams 12 Diagram Types Class diagram Activity diagram Sequence diagram State-chart diagram Use case diagram

16. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd UML Notation Classes and Attributes Association (Composition and Aggregation) Specialisation Multiplicities (optionality)

17. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Composition

18. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Aggregation

19. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Specialisation

20. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Navigation

21. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Healthcare Party

22. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Attributes

23. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Patients and Healthcare Parties

24. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Healthcare Document Structure

25. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Clinical Information Complexes

26. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Headings and Problem Lists

27. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Clinical Statements

28. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Clinical Information Items

29. HL7 UK 2003 (c) Abies Ltd Conclusions Health Information is complex, but not impossibly complex This paper has illustrated a few high level patterns UML and XML provide complementary sets of tools