Towards a meta-syntax for medical edi

Assessment of the current medical edi (electronic data interchange) environment shows that 'old' syntaxes are used to specify interchange formats of messages containing highly complex information of a quickly evolving nature. After translation of message requirements towards message interchange format specifications in accordance with underlying syntax rules, system developers use modern technologies to implement the sending and receiving of edi message instances towards the distorted view imposed by these message interchange formats. The coexistence of several syntaxes and the urgent need for more standardised message types, require a new type of techniques and tools. The new mechanism should support a non-distorted message type development and provide the framework for data-driven conversion of message instances, from one interchange format to another.