Finally released, ZiKiT 2020, now available on our web site

This was a race against the clock but finally its on our downloads web site.

Check it out.

Here's the link.

HL7Kit 2018 - Integrated DICOM and HL7 Solution

Yo! It's been a while ... no posts since June 2016 :-§

Maybe its because when you do there's less time to talk, ah? Anyway, I finally got some time for it and that's because HRZ have finally officially released HL7Kit 2018. Yeah! Check this beautiful little web site we've published for the occasion. Let me tell you about this product that my team and I worked so hard to push through the door.

For those of you that worked with the kit before, the first thing you will notice is the new UX. We've invested in usability and graphic design to make the kit nicer and simpler to use.

HL7Kit desktop applications shortcuts and the control panel

Another improvement is that now the installation and evaluation is much simpler because after installation (which is just a series of next-next-nexts) everything works with an internal SQLite database and by everything I mean everything! DICOM Storage, Q/R, Modality Worklist MPPS, and HL7 Orders ORM^O01 and Schedules SIU^S12 that are automatically mapped to Modality Worklist entries. Apart for the fact that it makes evaluation a snap, it also makes it really attractive for

HL7Kit Pro 2.0

[update 24 March 2023: Latest releases of HRZ software can be found on HRZ website - www.hrzkit.com]

At last, HL7Kit pro 2.0 is out! The new kit features complete integration between DICOM and HL7 and comes up with the DICOM Modality Worklist SCU (as an option) fully pre-configured out of the box. After installation, the package can serve both HL7 orders and DICOM modality worklist queries with no additional configuration. To complete the package we've added the Modality Worklist client so you can see the full cycle.
As before, the kit comes with free evaluation download. The price for the kit has not change but the DICOM Server comes as an extra. More updates soon as we complete new video tutorials and users manual.
The kit relays on SQL Server and installer looks for a pre-installed SQLEXPRESS instance. Check the downloads on roniza.com

DICOM Modality Worklist Server

HRZ DICOM Server is in use for many years in my custom software projects. It's a windows based service that is easily installed and configured. I've been using it since 2008 for various purposes and it is now a very stable and reliable software.
In this post I'm going to present its use as a Modality Worklist Server (or in short MWL SCP), explain how to install the software and how to configure the database to match your needs. Then, on the next post, I'm going to combine it together with processing HL7 order message to schedule a new work item. This will close the gap between HL7 and DICOM and we'll have most of the parts of IHE's radiology schedule workflow (SWF) integration profile.

What's the difference between a DICOM Server and a PACS?

Throughout the years, as PACS evolved, there were many debates about what is the feature set that makes a PACS? Does it have to have a Viewer? Does it have to provide all DICOM services? Should it have HL7? Many questions and even more answers. Calling it a DICOM Server is a laundry cleaning bypass of all that. It's a DICOM Server meaning it serves requests for DICOM Clients. What services does it provide? DSRSVC is a Storage SCP by default and you can add more services to it as you like using a plugin API. In the download page you'll find two plugins. The INI file plugin provides configuration for the storage service. The MS SQL Server DICOM Database Plugin adds:

• Query/Retrieve SCP, 
• Storage Commitment SCP and 
• Modality Worklist SCP

Throughout the years it was used in all kind of applications, as an inbox for web viewer, as a CAD engine, as a departmental archive, as a proxy, as a bridge, and many more.

If you're looking to speed up development and use an off-the-shelf software product that you can easily extend, customize and integrate with your system, read on.

Special offer for the new HL7Kit Pro 1.5

The new version 1.5 of HL7Kit Pro - HL7 to Database Integration Engine was released today. To celebrate the new release, the new version is offered at only $249 and includes all 4 applications in a single installation package. We've come to realize that our users prefer having the entire product installed on the production server including the HL7 Sender, HL7 Receiver and the HL7 Mapping Tool.

The main new feature of the new release is the support of multiple protocol versions and multiple mapping rules for a single runtime service. The runtime service can be configured to use different message definition files and different mapping XML for every remote application. This feature was requested long ago by many customers and a workaround to allow this was introduced in version 1.2. Now this feature is fully integrated into the product. The new release can be downloaded here.

HL7Kit Video Tutorials

If one picture worth a thousand words, how much does a 20 minutes video tutorials worth?
The HL7Kit web site promise that "You are 20 minutes away from HL7 integration!" I checked that again, this time on film.
From download to runtime deployment, a series of five detailed videos showing step by step how to set up a ADT^A01 message interface using HL7Kit.
Here it is. Comments and questions are most welcome.

Open Source HL7 Sender

[update 24 March 2023: Latest releases of HRZ software can be found on HRZ website - www.hrzkit.com]

HL7 Sender source code is now available for free download.
The full source code of the HL7 editor / HL7 sender application can be obtained from the product web site