Advanced Alerting
Extensions for better interoperability and clinical outcomes
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Mirth Connect by NextGen Healthcare
Interop Suite
Message Generator
Multi-Factor Authentication
Secure Email
Advanced Clustering
Role-Based Access Control
SSL Manager
ASTM E1381
ASTM 1394
Channel History
Serial Connector
FHIR
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Subscription Manager
LDAP
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Enhancement Bundle
Cures Extension
Premium extensions for more efficient interoperability
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Overview
Advanced Alerting expands the alerts feature in the core open-source product—providing metric, exception, and state-based monitoring of channels and connectors. Additional features include automatic escalation and de-escalation, scheduling, and notification throttling. You can send different alert messages to other user groups based on the current escalation level, time, and day. The alert dashboard provides a view of all alert statistics and logs.
Key Features & Takeaways
Benefits
Be assured that connections, channels, and work requiring monitoring and alerts 24/7 are ready. Response planning and engagement during weekends, holidays, and other non-business hours can be designed for the team to ensure clinical information is moving from source to destination without the constant need to check dashboards, emails, and other reports.
Alerts table—status, name, ID, trigger count, and current escalation level Alerts log pane—time-stamps, alert name, group, channel, connector, and any additional information about the log Alerts tasks—refresh, new alerts, import/export, delete, edit, enable/disable, trigger clearance, and return to normal
Key features
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Channel errors (14 types) Number of messages (sliding window or threshold with five status values, conditions, limits, time-stamps, and aggregated by the connector, channel, and global trigger conditions) Deployed state (started, starting, stopped, or stopping) SSL cert validation (expired, revoked: CRL/OCSP, DN rejected, time-stamped, and trigger intervals) Node/Computer state (on/off)
Trigger types:
Key takeaways
Without Advanced Alerting, you’ll need to build or purchase your own alerting solution. With an integrated alert management system, you can help ensure data will continue to flow at the speed of healthcare.
If one server in a cluster fails, another server automatically resumes processing any queued or unfinished messages from the failed server. You can monitor the status of each server and the channel status—deployed, started, stopped, or paused across all servers.
Save time and lower costs with: Various settings (Heartbeat Interval/Timeout, Sync, Startup, Prune, etc.) Channel management & monitoring Cluster history logs & restoration Auto message management functionality Guaranteed message order functionality Get support for: Database recommendations and configuration Extensibility in Java libraries Troubleshooting
Advanced Clustering extension has 3 features: Configuration—How the cluster will work Synchronization—What to do with the data Availability—When and where to ensure the cluster and the data meet requirements
Advanced Clustering improves your Mirth Connect infrastructure when used as a “cluster” (two or more servers working in unison) with automatic message takeover. Clustering architecture works to sync nodes in the cluster, ensuring the infrastructure and the channel work together—a key function for sending consistent medical data from source to destination.
ASTM E1381 describes the electronic transmission of digital information between clinical laboratory instruments and computer systems. These instruments measure one or more parameters from one or more patient samples.
You can easily set it up without developing interface language, terms, conditions, and other parameters. As a pre-built tool, this extension helps save time and maintenance while reducing costs.
When you need to set up a new interface or channel, the source and destination may require a set of specific options to deliver the required information. Many settings provide the flexibility and detail needed for this extension to work with lab equipment and the destination system(s). The categories include: Frame settings Validation settings Connection settings
Serves in a hospital setting or large practice with its own laboratory Provides a direct link to the equipment Delivers results in a variety of configurable ways Note that the settings also include a library of “byte” abbreviations to help configure and confirm settings.
The ASTM E1381 extension
ASTM E1381 is ideal for a specific use case for labs and healthcare organizations needing to collect and safely deliver information to care teams.
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When a lab device wants to share results, it uses a protocol to collect information in a format called ASTM e1394. This protocol is used with many medical devices to read and collect data. The ASTM E1394 data type (i.e., HL7, XML, JSON) for Mirth Connect allows you to easily accept, parse, and transform messages following the ASTM E1394 data standard.
The extension includes options that will help the ASTM Listener (an integration or channel): Name Data type set Dependencies Initial state of the channel Message details Customization
Mirth® Connect by NextGen Healthcare
This data type includes inbound and outbound properties depending on requirements to and from the sources and destinations of the data. Inbound options include: Serialization Batch Response Outbound options include: Deserialization Template serialization
This extension supports a variety of medical device data collection and delivery. Along with ASTM E1381, the data can be shared and ready to use through Mirth Connect.
The Serial Connector extension allows Mirth Connect to send and receive data over serial communication ports, such as those compliant with the RS-232 standards. Any installed transmission mode may be used with the connectors, including a raw serial mode, MLLP, or the ASTM E1381 transmission mode.
This extension helps push and pull data from aging technology and serial port equipment with no other data ports of connection available. You also have the flexibility to send and receive information in various formats.
Serial Connector provides transmission modes and destination settings—21 different options that include: Channel ID, Names, Message ID RAW Data file Transformed Data Encoded Data Message Source, Type, Version Date, formatted, timestamp File types: XML, JSON, DICOM CDATA Tagging
This extension helps facilitate data communication for medical devices, aging technology, and other serialized technologies.
This extension enables healthcare professionals to exchange information that resides in other systems and supports the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) initiative. Using the Interop Suite, organizations are able to connect to national networks such as the eHealth Exchange, public and private HIEs, and local HIT systems.
Interop Suite enables you to manage and integrate the following functionality for exchanging data across a wide variety of organizations participating in national and/or regional data exchanges. Patient Identifier Cross- Referencing–PIX Patient Demographics Query–PDQ Cross-Enterprise Document Sharing–XDS Cross-Community Access–XCA Cross-Community Patient Discovery–XCPD
Patient Identifier cross-referencing (PIX)—Allows patient information to be exchanged between providers and enables requests to be sent to an index management resource. Patient Demographics Query (PDQ)—Allows a provider to request information from another provider. Cross-Enterprise Document Sharing (XDS)—Ensures alignment to use specific policies and a shared infrastructure. A repository provides easy access to documents.
This extension makes it possible to connect and build integrations/channels.
Cross-Community Access (XCA)—Supports facilities that work within a community to exchange data with other specified communities. Cross-Community Patient Discovery (XCPD)—Locates healthcare organizations with specific patient health data. This allows each community to communicate effectively.
Ensure emails from the sender to the receiver are secure with functional capabilities to process, queue, and manage. You can securely connect to a POP3 or IMAP email server and download email messages for processing in a channel using the Email Reader.
With the message content, you can specify if an individual email message can be read using: XML Metadata (this is information about the message, not the message itself) Body Attachments
You can set up message polling in a variety of ways. This includes source queue, along with auto responders or batch processing. In addition, SSL Manager is included in this extension to ensure all messages are encrypted and secure in step with your organizational policy and setup (including STARTTLS).
Every integration should include an SSL Manager as an essential part of protecting privacy, critical security, and data integrity for Mirth Connect channels (integration connections between endpoints). With SSL Manager, you can easily manage a variety of certificates and authentication methodologies and ensure that your integrations remain constant and consistent.
Warning and alert settings Public certificate management Private and public key management In addition, SSL Manager can import/export, sign requests, backup/restore, test, apply source/destinations, and configure FTPS connectors.
The SSL Manager extension lets you quickly enable/configure certificate-based Secure Socket Layer (SSL) connectivity for socket-based connectors, such as: HTTP Listener/Sender Web Service Listener/Sender TCP Listener/Sender DICOM Listener/Sender Email Reader / SMTP Sender File Reader/Writer (in FTP mode)
Without SSL Manager, an organization is at risk when sending and/or receiving data outside its own walls. The impact of data breaches, loss in revenue, public opinion, government penalties, and lawsuits are all possibilities when a network and connections are not secure using TSL/SSL technology.
The central settings view allows you to manage and store your certificates in one location. Trusted certificates and advanced SSL settings such as client (two-way) authentication and host name verification can be applied on a per-connector basis.
The Channel History extension helps streamline the management of your critical channels. You can manage your channels' revision histories with various methods depending on your needs. Without this extension, you would have to develop your own methods, keep them up to date, and ensure they are supported.
This extension offers significant support to the core engine when there’s a need to build new interfaces, update existing interfaces, or maintain business continuity.
See when changes were made and who made them Track a channel's evolution, comparing current and past traits side by side Revert to a past version of the channel Prune unneeded revisions of the channel
This extension supports core features and functionality of channel management and helps build and maintain connections between end-points through time, roles, and capabilities.
FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) is a set of HL7 healthcare standards that helps ease implementation based on RESTful HTTP using XML or JSON. Components called "Resources" are used to store and exchange data between systems.
This extension makes it easier to kick-start a new interface. The FHIR Listener connector is similar to an HTTP Listener and includes various FHIR-specific settings and helper/utility classes for working with responses. An FHIR Sender destination connector and a new FHIR Resource Builder are also available as both a transformer step type and code template type.
FHIR listener FHIR sender FHIR data type FHIR resource builder FHIR transformer step type FHIR code template type The FhirUtil utility class Debug logging - FHIR connector extension FHIR example channel HL7 v2.x to FHIR conversions
The latest officially released normative version of FHIR is Release 4 (R4). Mirth Connect FHIR implementation supports both versions and older versions dating back to DSTU2. When later versions are released, updates will be made for this extension to be compatible with them.
Several new security controls including auditing tampering of events in the product, auto-logout, emergency access, and more Adds a layer of security, with the option to use Duo or TOTP authentication methods The ability to create roles and assign those roles to users. Roles restrict system access to authorized users based on their role within the organization Enable and configure certificate-based SSL connectivity
The Cures Extension provides additional assurance to exchange partners that data is being handled and exchanged securely. Learn more about Mirth Connect Cures Update certification.
The Mirth Connect Cures Extension includes the following: • Cures Certification Support • Multi-Factor Authentication • Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) • SSL Manager
The Mirth Connect Cures Extension is a bundle of extensions that provides added assurance to exchange partners that data is being handled and exchanged securely, in accordance with the ONC 2015 Edition Cures Update certification.
Message Generator is a way to mock HL7 (Health Level 7) messages for testing interfaces or functions within channel management. As one of the Mirth Connect supported data types, it is the default type displayed when creating a new channel.
Walk through the creation of HL7 templates that use different configurations Arrange configurations to be saved (exported) and used (imported) by other channels Create time-saving libraries of configurations
Message Generator supports commonly used HL7 types, such as ADT (Admit, Discharge, Transfer), ORM (HL7 Order Entry), ORU (HL7 Observation Result), DFT (Detail financial transaction), and more. Data can be auto-generated or customized. Options include only required data and the ability to customize each configuration.
The options of Message Generator contribute to overall ease of use and help maintain seamless workflow integration within the core engine.
This extension provides an extra layer of security for Mirth Connect users with two layers of protection: 1. Mirth Connect user’s login username and password. 2. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) application’s method of user authentication can be a push notification to a mobile device, a time-based code, etc.
Enables a smartphone or tablet to help ensure authorized Mirth Connect login Prevents unauthorized logins Supports DUO and other generic MFA applications Helps protect against brute-force password attacks Allows a select number of Mirth Connect users to authenticate without using MFA
This extension helps support your organization’s security strategy and complements administrative controls for healthcare integrations.
Duo MFA: Supports lockout protection, automatic enrollment, and policy management Allows you to use your own key or automatically generate a new, random, secure key Allows you to self-enroll into MFA
Time-based one-time passwords (TOTP) MFA: Allows you to configure advance settings, such as account name, time step size, window size, code digits, key representation, and HMAC hash function Automatically prompts you to enroll into MFA using a secondary device Resets your MFA credentials—upon the next login, you can self-enroll into MFA again
(TOTP) time-based one-time password (DUO) duel authentication
The Role-Based Access Control extension enables blocking and/or granting access to different activities within the application. By creating roles (which are then assigned to users), an administrator can control who does what and potentially prevent confusion and errors that could negatively affect the team’s work.
The following roles allow alerts, channel view, statistics, groups, enable, and disable channel integrations, view messages, and more. Administration Read-only Tag supervisor Alerts supervisor
User role and management are essential for managing interfaces. An integrated solution designed, maintained, and updated with the core product supports seamless interoperability.
How do roles work: Each role is assigned specific permissions (such as view, edit, remove) A role can be applied to all channels An administrator role is already defined and has all available permissions A single user can fulfill multiple roles The use of specific roles ensures flexibility as users’ positions change
An authorized user may add new roles, permitting: Channels and channel groups Scripts and templates Messages Resources Data pruner Server configuration and settings Views and/or management (add, edit, remove) of various other areas
User demographics Roles Business Last logins User names
This extension lets you choose between online and offline subscription validation. For online validation, it will enable you to enter and save your commercial subscription key. For offline validation, it will allow you to generate a validation request and import the corresponding response.
The Subscription Manager helps confirm commercial subscriptions that are using the interface engine. In some cases, offline validation is required, and the Subscription Manager can easily verify product keys.
You can manage the keys online and offline for the Mirth Connect platform regarding your work, requirements, and business needs.
Status that lets you know if your subscription is active or inactive Status if the subscription is online or offline Expiration date that lets you know when to renew Button for validation requests Subscription validation response
The LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) authorization extension replaces the existing mechanism and authenticates user accounts on a centralized LDAP server. Any user contained within the specified User Base DN on the LDAP server can log in to Mirth Connect. When a user logs in, Mirth Connect copies the user’s attributes from the LDAP server. The connection to the LDAP server can optionally use SSL or START TLS encryption.
The LDAP extension makes it easy to: Test connections Filter user accounts Manage and map roles and attributes Enable encryption Restore LDAP configuration backups to production This is all centralized and ready for use through Mirth Connect.
With the LDAP extension, you can log in to Mirth Connect using credentials controlled by a separate LDAP directory. The connection between Mirth Connect and the LDAP server may be encrypted if needed for security. The Role-Based Access Control extension for Mirth Connect can also be leveraged to assign roles to specific groups of user accounts in the LDAP directory.
LDAP configurations include: Port Base DN Bind DN Local admin recovery Connection validation: User name (first name, last name) Organization Email Phone Role
You can leverage LDAP attribute mapping to create connection validation items listed.
The Enhancement Bundle allows users to search for messages across multiple channels via the Multi-Channel Messages screen. This functionality makes the troubleshooting of messages that are handled by multiple channels faster and easier.
The Enhancement Bundle Extension is designed to house a variety of features and functionality that are not stand-alone items but that will bring considerable value to users.
With the Multi-Channel Message feature, users will no longer need to search for messages one channel at a time.
From the Multi-Channel Messages screen, you can search for messages similar to how you would search for messages from the Channel Messages screen Basic and Advanced searches are available and the metadata from all selected channels can be searched on and displayed on the screen Search results can be exported and permission to export may be limited.
