ACK process model
The following sequence of steps describes the acknowledgment (ACK) process model:
When the admissions personnel log patient admission information into the Admissions System (ADT), the system generates a trigger event.
The ADT system generates an HL7-encoded Patient Registration message (ADT^A04) and delivers it to BizTalk Accelerator for HL7 (BTAHL7).
The BTAHL7 system applies an MLLP wrapper on the ADT^A04 message and routes it to the BTAHL7 Interface Engine.
Requirement of 'Original Mode' Acknowledgment is preconfigured
MSH 15 and 16 have null values
The BTAHL7 Interface Engine validates the message and if successful validation occurs, it generates the ACK message with the status MSA01 = AA.
The BTAHL7 Interface Engine transforms the ADT^A04 message by enclosing it with MLLP wrappers and routing it to the Lab Information System (LIS).
BTAHL7 preconfigures 'Enhanced Mode' Acknowledgment
MSH 15 and 16 = AL
The LIS Interface Layer validates the header by committing the message and generating an ACCEPT ACK with the status MSA1 = CA. The interface layer routes the message with the MLLP wrapper to the BTAHL7 Interface Engine.
The LIS Interface Layer validates the entire message and generates an APPLICATION ACK with the status MSA1 = AA. The interface layer routes the message with the MLLP wrapper to the BTAHL7 Interface Engine.
BTAHL7 preconfigures 'ACK Required' acknowledging the acknowledgment
MSH 15 = AL, which indicates that the receiving system must acknowledge the ACK with a Commit Accept Message
The LIS Interface layer delivers the message to the Application Layer in accordance with the format requirement.
The BTAHL7 Interface Engine validates the ACK received from the LIS Interface Layer (in step 7 above) and responds with an ACK back to the LIS Interface Layer with the status MSA1= CA.
A user of the LIS System reviews the Patient information.