Sending electronic nursing discharge messages using the HL7 v3 Care Provision standard

There is a growing need to exchange nursing related information electronically from one health care professional to another, crossing institutional, time and language boarders. Both continuity of care, care for populations, decision support and secondary use of patient data are valid uses of nursing information. Achieving electronic exchange of nursing information requires information analysis, modeling, standardization and deployment in electronic health systems. The HL7 working group 'Patient Care' has developed a set of HL7 v3 messages that allows nursing content to be specified and exchanged between electronic patient record systems, or systems deployed for secondary data use. This contribution discusses the dynamics of the process and the use of electronic messages for continuity of care. Also, the use of nursing terminology and assessment scales within HL7 v3 messages is illustrated. The Care Provision message is useful for sending structured nursing information between health care facilities.