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Section 1f: Arden Syntax
Section 3: Implementation Guides

HL7 Arden Syntax: Implementation Guide, Release 2

DESCRIPTION

The Arden Syntax for Medical Logic Systems is a structured, executable formalism for the explicit representation of scientific, clinical, administrative, and other knowledge used in clinical decision support systems.  Despite the relative ease of use and functionality of the Arden Syntax, both novice and experienced users have questions regarding how best to use the syntax to address particular clinical applications. The purpose of this implementation guide is to help answer these questions by providing, in addition to a summary of the Arden Syntax itself, ideas and examples regarding how Arden Syntax may be used in these different situations. Further, while the summary of the Arden Syntax features presented provides the important highlights of this key standard, readers are directed to the actual Arden Syntax specifications for a complete definition of the language.

 

ALTERNATIVE NAMES

HL7 Arden Syntax: Implementation Guide, Release 2 may also go by the following names or acronyms:

"HL7 Arden Syntax: Implementation Guide, Release 3","HL7 Arden Syntax IG, R2",

TARGETS

  • Clinical and Public Health Laboratories
  • Immunization Registries
  • Quality Reporting Agencies
  • EHR, PHR Vendors
  • Health Care IT Vendors
  • Clinical Decision Support Systems Vendors
  • Lab Vendors
  • HIS Vendors
  • Emergency Services Providers
  • Local and State Departments of Health
  • Healthcare Institutions (hospitals, long term care, home care, mental health)

 

BENEFITS

  • Facilitates validation of knowledge bases by domain experts. 
  • Enables explicit representation of scientific, clinical, administrative, and other knowledge used in clinical decision support systems
  • Supports users of the Arden Syntax standard as they learn and apply the language to clinical decision support problems

IMPLEMENTATIONS/CASE STUDIES

 

DEVELOPMENT BACKGROUND

The Arden Syntax for Medical Logic Systems is a structured, executable formalism for the explicit representation of scientific, clinical, administrative, and other knowledge used in clinical decision support systems. As such, it functions as a programming language for such systems, allowing knowledge authors and clinical domain experts to implement knowledge-based interventions such as alerts, informational notices, and reminders, order sets, turnaround forms and the like in order to realize quality improvement, clinical, administrative, and public health objectives. Expressed in a way that resembles English-language syntax, the Arden Syntax also facilitates validation of knowledge bases by domain experts. In light of this utility, a number of vendors of clinical information systems and decision support systems have incorporated Arden Syntax into their products, leading to its adoption and use at numerous sites worldwide. 

This implementation guide is designed to illustrate key aspects of the Arden Syntax and to support users of this standard as they learn and apply the language to clinical decision support problems.

The purpose of this implementation guide is to support the authors of Arden Syntax Medical Logic Modules by providing, in addition to a summary of the Arden Syntax itself, ideas and examples regarding how Arden Syntax may be used in a variety of different situations. This guide is not intended to be exhaustive in this regard, but it is meant to provide guidance on how to use the Arden Syntax to solve real-world challenges related to the implementation of clinical decision support. Further, while the summary of the Arden Syntax features presented herein provides the important highlights of this key standard, readers are directed to the actual Arden Syntax specifications for a complete definition of the language.

This implementation guide was composed when Arden Syntax v2.10 was the latest approved version of the standard and v3.0 was under development. While the examples and ideas featured here include elements of the syntax that are new to these versions and may not be present in earlier versions, substantial parts of the implementation guide also leverage the backward compatibility of Arden Syntax, allowing users of an earlier version also to make use of this implementation guide

 

RELATED DOCUMENTS

HL7 Arden Syntax: Implementation Guide, Release 2

(Download) (688 KB)

TOPIC

  • Decision Support

BALLOT TYPE

  • Informative

STATUS DATE

2020-02-21

RESPONSIBLE WORK GROUP

Arden Syntax

STAKEHOLDERS

  • Clinical and Public Health Laboratories
  • Clinical Decision Support Systems Vendors
  • EHR, PHR Vendors
  • Emergency Services Providers
  • Health Care IT Vendors
  • Healthcare Institutions
  • HIS Vendors
  • Immunization Registries
  • Lab Vendors
  • Local and State Departments of Health
  • Quality Reporting Agencies

FAMILY

  • Arden

CURRENT STATE

  • Retired

REALM

  • Universal