Product List FAQ

Draft version for comment

What is an HL7 Product?

A product is something that is created by collaboration within HL7, and has achieved consensus agreement (where applicable).
The product briefs are intended to be multi-purpose for both internal and external customers; both to provide information to the outside world as well as to inform HL7 members, developers, and implementers.
They are intended to provided an overview for someone who may not be familiar with the detail to be able to understand the scope and purpose of the document, as well as for intended users, so that they can make an informed decision as to whether to invest time and/or money in developing or using the document. It would make sense to be clear who we think should be reading it, and why, so implementers may gain an understanding of this material.
The briefs will be used to populate the pages for each product on the website (when that development is ready), and to help with product management and marketing going forwards. There are still decisions to be made on organization and presentation of the materials.

Categories

Products currently fall into the following categories, based on types of specifications.

• Health Information Exchange Standards
• Health Information Knowledge Representation Standards
• Modeling Standards
• Application Functional Specifications
• Clinical Context Management Standards
• Implementation Guides (of one of the other category types)
• Education Services

Proposed additional categories:

• Value-added services
  1. Meetings
  2. Membership
  3. Specification Development Services and Facilities

Product List Relationships and Categories

Exchange Standards - Subcategories

Within the Exchange Standards encompassing both V2 and V3, with subcategories based loosely on the V3 publishing structure, V3 subcategories include:

• Foundation
• Common Domains
• Administrative Management
• Specification Infrastructure/Messaging
• Health and Clinical Management

Health and Clinical Management subcategory - product granularity

Within the Health and Clinical Management subcategory, products can be

• A domain,
• Individual topics, if they have been balloted separately,
• Standards within a domain (e.g. Foundation) not fitting description of "topic"
• Implementation Guides