Message type

Collaborative care referral

Supports collaborative care coordination between providers. Key segments include MSH, RF1, ORC, OBX. Care coordination platforms and clinical systems exchange this to share patient care information across organizational boundaries.

65segments

30required

17groups

v2.9HL7 version

# Zato
from zato.hl7v2 import HL7Message

# An incoming message ..
raw = 'MSH|^~\&|SENDER|FAC|RCV|DEST|20260701||' \
      'CCR^I16^CCR_I16|MSG001|P|2.9\r' \
      'PID|1||MRN-10045||SMITH^JOHN||19850315|M\r' \
      'PV1|1|I|MED^201^A'

# .. parsed into a Python object ..
msg = HL7Message.parse(raw)

# .. whose fields we can now access.
name = msg.pid.patient_name
dob = msg.pid.date_time_of_birth
patient_class = msg.pv1.patient_class
location = msg.pv1.assigned_patient_location

Python examples

Build and parse CCR^I16 messages in Python

How to construct, send, receive, and extract fields from real-world CCR^I16 messages.

Parse an incoming CCR^I16 message

Demonstrates receiving and extracting key fields from a collaborative care referral transaction

# Zato
from zato.hl7v2 import HL7Message

# An incoming message ..
raw = 'MSH|^~\&|SENDER|FAC|RCV|DEST|20260701||' \
      'CCR^I16^CCR_I16|MSG001|P|2.9\r' \
      'PID|1||MRN-10045||SMITH^JOHN||19850315|M\r' \
      'PV1|1|I|MED^201^A'

# .. parsed into a Python object ..
msg = HL7Message.parse(raw)

# .. whose fields we can now access.
name = msg.pid.patient_name
dob = msg.pid.date_time_of_birth
patient_class = msg.pv1.patient_class
location = msg.pv1.assigned_patient_location

Tutorials

Learn by building

Step-by-step guides for working with HL7 v2 in Zato.

MLLP

Receive and parse HL7 v2 messages

Set up an MLLP channel, parse incoming messages, and respond with acknowledgments.

Start tutorial Build

Build and send HL7 v2 messages

Construct HL7 v2 messages from scratch using typed segment classes and send them over MLLP.

Start tutorial

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Use the HL7v2 message parser to extract the typed structure. The parsed message gives you direct access to every segment and field by name.

from zato.hl7v2 import HL7Message

raw = 'MSH|^~\&|SENDER|FACILITY|RECEIVER|DEST|20260401120000||CCR^I16^CCR_I16|MSG00001|P|2.9\rRF1||ROUTINE^Routine^HL70283||20260401|20260430\rNK1|1|JOHNSON^MICHAEL|SPO^Spouse|100 Oak Lane^^Portland^OR^97201|5035551234\rREL|1||HAS^Has^HL70948'
msg = HL7Message.parse(raw)

name = msg.pid.patient_name
dob = msg.pid.date_time_of_birth

Beyond the mandatory MSH header, the required segments are: RF1, PRD, ORC, TQ1, OBX, PID, IN1, SCH. Optional segments provide additional detail when available.

Zato connects to any system that speaks HL7v2 over MLLP or FHIR over REST. This includes Epic, Cerner, Meditech, Allscripts, and other EHR platforms.

Yes, Zato has built-in MLLP support for sending and receiving HL7v2 messages. MLLP channels handle the framing protocol automatically.

Zato supports HL7 v2.9, which is backward compatible with earlier versions including v2.3, v2.5, and v2.7. Standard segments and datatypes are available as typed Python classes.

Yes. Zato handles both HL7v2 and FHIR natively, so you can parse v2 messages and build FHIR resources with IG-specific extensions in the same service. Typed Python classes are available for both protocols, including extensions from US Core, UK Core, Da Vinci, and other Implementation Guides.

Reference

CCR^I16 segment composition

Segments that make up the CCR^I16 message, in order. Groups are shown with their child segments.

#	Segment	Usage	Repeats	Description	Group
1	`MSH`	Required	No	Message header	-
2	`ARV`	Optional	Yes	Access restriction	-
3	`SFT`	Optional	Yes	Software segment	-
4	`UAC`	Optional	No	User authentication credential	-
5	`RF1`	Required	Yes	Referral information	-
6	`PRD`	Required	No	Provider data	PROVIDER_CONTACT
7	`CTD`	Optional	Yes	Contact data	PROVIDER_CONTACT
8	`ORC`	Required	No	Common order	CLINICAL_ORDER
9	`TQ1`	Required	No	Timing / quantity	CLINICAL_ORDER
10	`TQ2`	Optional	Yes	Timing / quantity relationship	CLINICAL_ORDER
11	`OBX`	Required	No	Observation result	CLINICAL_ORDER_OBSERVATION
12	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	CLINICAL_ORDER_OBSERVATION
13	`CTI`	Optional	Yes	Clinical trial identification	CLINICAL_ORDER
14	`PID`	Required	No	Patient identification	PATIENT
15	`PD1`	Optional	No	Patient additional demographic	PATIENT
16	`NK1`	Optional	Yes	Next of kin / associated parties	-
17	`IN1`	Required	No	Insurance	INSURANCE
18	`IN2`	Optional	No	Insurance additional info	INSURANCE
19	`IN3`	Optional	No	Insurance additional info - certification	INSURANCE
20	`SCH`	Required	No	Scheduling activity information	APPOINTMENT_HISTORY
21	`RGS`	Required	No	Resource group	APPOINTMENT_HISTORY
22	`OBX`	Required	No	Observation result	RESOURCE_DETAIL
23	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	RESOURCE_DETAIL
24	`ORC`	Required	No	Common order	CLINICAL_HISTORY
25	`OBX`	Required	No	Observation result	CLINICAL_HISTORY_OBSERVATION
26	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	CLINICAL_HISTORY_OBSERVATION
27	`VAR`	Optional	Yes	Variance	CLINICAL_HISTORY
28	`CTI`	Optional	Yes	Clinical trial identification	CLINICAL_HISTORY
29	`PV1`	Required	No	Patient visit	PATIENT_VISITS
30	`PV2`	Optional	No	Patient visit - additional info	PATIENT_VISITS
31	`ORC`	Required	No	Common order	MEDICATION_HISTORY
32	`RXO`	Required	No	Pharmacy / treatment order	MEDICATION_HISTORY
33	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	MEDICATION_HISTORY
34	`RXR`	Required	Yes	Pharmacy / treatment route	MEDICATION_HISTORY
35	`RXC`	Optional	Yes	Pharmacy / treatment component order	MEDICATION_HISTORY
36	`OBX`	Required	No	Observation result	MEDICATION_ORDER_OBSERVATION
37	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	MEDICATION_ORDER_OBSERVATION
38	`RXE`	Required	No	Pharmacy / treatment encoded order	MEDICATION_HISTORY
39	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	MEDICATION_HISTORY
40	`RXR`	Required	Yes	Pharmacy / treatment route	MEDICATION_HISTORY
41	`RXC`	Optional	Yes	Pharmacy / treatment component order	MEDICATION_HISTORY
42	`OBX`	Required	No	Observation result	MEDICATION_ENCODING_OBSERVATION
43	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	MEDICATION_ENCODING_OBSERVATION
44	`RXA`	Required	No	Pharmacy / treatment administration	MEDICATION_HISTORY
45	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	MEDICATION_HISTORY
46	`RXR`	Required	No	Pharmacy / treatment route	MEDICATION_HISTORY
47	`OBX`	Required	No	Observation result	MEDICATION_ADMINISTRATION_OBSERVATION
48	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	MEDICATION_ADMINISTRATION_OBSERVATION
49	`CTI`	Optional	Yes	Clinical trial identification	MEDICATION_HISTORY
50	`PRB`	Required	No	Problem detail	PROBLEM
51	`VAR`	Optional	Yes	Variance	PROBLEM
52	`VAR`	Optional	Yes	Variance	PROBLEM
53	`OBX`	Required	No	Observation result	PROBLEM
54	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	PROBLEM
55	`GOL`	Required	No	Goal detail	GOAL
56	`VAR`	Optional	Yes	Variance	GOAL
57	`VAR`	Optional	Yes	Variance	GOAL
58	`OBX`	Required	No	Observation result	GOAL
59	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	GOAL
60	`PTH`	Required	No	Pathway	PATHWAY
61	`VAR`	Optional	Yes	Variance	PATHWAY
62	`VAR`	Optional	Yes	Variance	PATHWAY
63	`OBX`	Required	No	Observation result	PATHWAY
64	`PRT`	Optional	Yes	Participation information	PATHWAY
65	`REL`	Optional	Yes	Clinical relationship segment	-

Ready to build integrations?

Get started with Zato and connect your systems in minutes.

Get started ▶Read the docs

Open source In Python