This page contains some of my current work items in no particular order. As with all work, some of this may be outdated. Pragmatic Data, LLC provides services related to the contents of this site.

HL7 The Data Standard for Biomedical Informatics

This is a new item as of 10/28/2003


Dealing with Classificaitons of Entities and Acts.

This is a new item as of 11/1/2000


NCVHS Testimony on Electronic Signatures

A slide presentation (10/26/2000) in PDF. Full color, may be difficult to print; so here are b&w handouts too.


Secure HL7 Transactions using Internet Mail

Final drafts of these documents. No new revision exists as of 11/1/2000

This is the version for HL7 PostScript, PDF, and ASCII.

This is the version to be submitted to the IETF PostScript, PDF, and ASCII.


A State-Transition-Model for the HL7 Technical Committee on Orders and Results

This is outdated. The post-USAM RIM has a much simpler state transition model, thanks to the mood code.

NOTE: You might want to make sure you have the right version (updated 9/29/98) that shows the revision number ``Id:... 1.8'' printed in small font on the front page.

Five file types for you to choose from: PDF, PDF gzip, PDF ZIP, PostScript, and PostScript gzip.

No, MS Word is not among the file types, because I am on a boycott. Word has stolen me so much time in the past, I will never use it again.

The slides presented in San Diego are a good companion to reading the document, since they can show in animation what is difficult to show printed on paper. Featuring: peeling the onion (alias "stepwise refinement") and walk through life-cycles.


National Immunization Program, Aspects on Security, Confidentiality and Privacy.

A couple of slides that I prepared for a meeting of the National Immunization Program hosted by the CDC. Covers security, confidentiality and privacy issues of the NIP registries. Available as PDF.


Other topics, mostly historical.

The HL7 task force on version 3 data types.

About domain specifications in HL7.

Redesign of the clinical RIM.

HL7 v3 Technology Independent Communication Model

A paper for consideration at current Implementation Technology Specification development. [pdf] [ps]

Lightweight Data Bases in Java

RMRS/persist - providing seamless object-relational persistence for your Java business objects


YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE

This material has been updated at 12/22/98 from a prior version, which is still available here: [PDF] [PS] [ZIP].

Wes Rishel has prepared an excellent reverse engineered model of HL7's data type for timing and quantity (TQ). I have to show off Wes' model here in order to ignite discussion about it. I would like to find a way to simplify HL7's approach to timed delivery plans and also to harmonize with "standard" process models such as Petri Nets, Workflow Management, or operating system process management.

Wes' report is available here as PDF and PostScript, as I refuse to put proprietory text processor documents onto this Web site. You can also download the following ZIP archive which contains the model file for Rational Rose (and things I do not put on the Web :-).

The TQ data type is currently redesigned in terms of information model components in the work I am doing on the redesign of the clinical RIM.