To "piggyback" on what Dave already commented, I prefer to highlight the
difference using the ISO Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing that
Mary mentioned. Loosely speaking, the HL7 RIM and much of the _content_ of the
messages are describing healthcare information itself--serving to define
attributes, classes, "data elements" that are of interested within the
healthcare domain. RM-ODP refers to this as the "Information Viewpoint" or, in
Mary's terms, the WHAT.
By contrast, the CORBAmed specifications such as PIDS describe the mechanisms
that are required to perform certain activities (such as the identification of
people). While there is a need in this viewpoint, the RM-ODP Computational
Viewpoint (or Mary's HOW), to identify both the signatures for operations that
are being performed as well as identifying variables needed for passing this
information, it is still considered computational.
The distinction within RM-ODP is not as simple as "all element definitions are
informational", since the intended use and application of the defined element
provides context. When we look at applying [the HL7 RIM and PIDS] within OSCHA,
the trait set enumerated as being capable of identifying people will be
Informational, but the computational data element "trait" itself is
computational.
I hope this was helpful.
- Ken
"Dave Forslund" wrote:
CORBAmed is the functional or computational specification. HL7 is the data
representation.
These are different things and one needs the other. Correlation Manager
has a very specific
meaning with respect to PIDS.
"John S. Gage" wrote:
> Thank you for a comprehensive reply! One quick question.
> "standardization of correlation manager interfaces" and "information
> required for Healthcare transactions" are not semantically that
> different, particularly when one adds in the additional wording having
> to do with "all operating systems", "all platforms", etc. How would you
> differentiate between HL7 messaging and CorbaMed interfacing? Are they,
> in reality, two different ways of doing the same thing, though one uses
> common objects and the other uses messages?
>
> John
>
> Mary Kratz wrote:
> >
> > Clearly, HL7 is not in the business to standardization of
> > correlation manager interfaces, but rather in the information required for
> > Healthcare transactions.
--
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Kenneth S. Rubin
EDS / VHA IT Architecture Account
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