RE: HL7 Standards Process (was RE: EDIINT and HIPAA)

["Dick Brooks" <dick@xxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Wes.

Based on your description I would anticipate the EDIINT AS2 spec taking the
"Recommendation" route, IF the group decides to go forward. Do you see it
the same way?

FYI - other groups that have adopted AS2 have found it necessary to define
"interoperability profiles". These profiles identify the exact set of
"options" from AS2 that everyone in the "trading community" agrees to
follow, in order to ensure interoperability. For example, GISB has already
defined an AS2 interoperability profile and the New York Collaborative, in
accordance with the Public Service Commission regulations, is in the process
of defining their interoperability profile. I'm familiar with both these
groups and the process used to develop their profiles. I could help HL7
develop an AS2 interoperability profile, if the group decides to pursue this
approach.

Regards,

Dick Brooks
Group 8760
110 12th Street North
Birmingham, AL 35203
dick@xxxxxxxx
205-250-8053
Fax: 205-250-8057
http://www.8760.com/

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> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rishel,Wes [mailto:wes.rishel@xxxxxxxxxxx]
> Sent: Friday, November 17, 2000 8:32 PM
> To: 'dick@xxxxxxxx'; Gunther Schadow
> Cc: Rik Drummond; Kepa Zubeldia; CLEM; Gary Crough; Beth Morrow;
> David@Drummondgroup. Com; GISB1@xxxxxxx; ietf-ediint@xxxxxxx
> Subject: HL7 Standards Process (was RE: EDIINT and HIPAA)
>
>
> As the chair-elect of HL7 I would like to respond to DB's
> question about HL7
> process.
>
> HL7 has two kinds of specifications that are published using slighly
> different processes: a Standard is submitted to ANSI for
> certification once
> it has passed ballot; a Recommendation is published by HL7 but is not
> submitted to ANSI and does not become an ANSI standard. Some
> Recommendations
> have had substantial acceptance among the HL7 community, including it's
> "lower level protocols" which define ways to reliably pass
> discrete messages
> over RS-232 and TCP, and were published sometime in the early 1990s.
>
> A Standard originates under the sponsorship of a Technical
> Committee. If HL7
> were to create a Standard for EDIINT it would be the Control/Query
> committee. It is balloted at the committee level. (Actually anyone can
> participate in the committee ballot, but in practice those who
> choose to do
> so are usually those who participate in, or follow the work of, the
> Technical Committee.) When it passes a committee level ballot it is
> submitted for ballot by the full HL7 Working Group (which is the entire
> organization). If it passes at this level it is automatically submitted to
> ANSI for certification. The ANSI review allows time for public
> comment, but
> it is primarily a certification that the process was fair and consistent
> with our bylaws. To date, have never had an issue arise that prevented or
> delayed the certification process.
>
> In addition to Technical Committees HL7 has Special Interest
> Groups. Gunther
> is co-chair of our SIG on security. Strictly speaking, a SIG
> cannot initiate
> the balloting of a standard; but SIGs can prepare such a document, and
> obtain the consent of a Technical Committee which sponsors the ballot.
>
> The other kind of document, the Recommendation, is easier to get out the
> door. It can be originated by a SIG, and it has only one level of
> balloting.
> The majority that is required to pass a Recommendation is less severe than
> the majority required to pass a Standard (67% vs. 90%).
>
> Ballots are conducted using the Web. Assuming that both ballots pass an
> energetic committee can easily complete the entire process in two of our
> three-per-year Working Group meetings (roughly 8 months elapsed time). (Of
> course most committees have substantial time invested in debating the
> document before it begins the process.)
>
> Most of the meetings required at certain points in the process can be
> handled using conference calls; in theory a REALLY motivated
> committee could
> accomplish the two-level ballot in five months and then wait about three
> months for ANSI certication. (That is a theoretical figure that has never
> been realized in practise.)
>
> Recommendations can be passed in roughly four months.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Wes Rishel
> Research Director
> Healthcare Industry Research & Advisory Services
> GartnerGroup
> Alameda, CA
> Client inquiries: call +1-203-316-1288 or email to indapps@xxxxxxxxxxx
> wes.rishel@xxxxxxxxxxx
> 510 522 8135
> 510 521 2423 (fax)
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Dick Brooks [mailto:dick@xxxxxxxx]
> > Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2000 10:27 AM
> > To: Gunther Schadow
> > Cc: Rik Drummond; Kepa Zubeldia; CLEM; Gary Crough; Beth Morrow;
> > David@Drummondgroup. Com; GISB1@xxxxxxx; ietf-ediint@xxxxxxx; Dick
> > Brooks
> > Subject: RE: EDIINT and HIPAA
> >
> >
> >
> > <DB> I'm not familiar with the HL7 standards process, all of
> > my experience
> > has been with IETF, DISA, GISB and recently ebXML. Each of these
> > organizations has a different process for developing standards. If we
> > brought AS2 to HL7 today, how long would it take to become an
> > ANSI standard?
> > I would like to read HL7's operational process document, can
> > you provide a
> > pointer?
> > </DB>
> >