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Healthcare/HL7 v2/RXD
Segment

Pharmacy/treatment dispense

Records the actual dispensing event for a medication, including the drug dispensed, actual dispense amount, dispense date and time, dispensing provider, lot number, and expiration date. It is sent by the pharmacy dispensing system to the EHR or nursing system in RDS (Pharmacy/Treatment Dispense) messages. RXD confirms that a specific quantity of medication was physically dispensed for a patient order.

34fields
5required
v2.9HL7 version
rxd.py
from zato.hl7v2 import RXD, CWE

rxd = RXD()
code = CWE(identifier='VIT01', text='Vitamin D 1000IU')
rxd.dispense_give_code = code
Python examples

Build RXD segments in Python

How to construct and work with real-world RXD segments.

1

Vitamin D softgel dispense

Required counters, code, dispense time, amount, units, and prescription id

from zato.hl7v2.v2_9 import RXD
from zato.hl7v2.v2_9 import CWE

rxd = RXD()
rxd.dispense_sub_id_counter = '1'
rxd.dispense_give_code = CWE(
    identifier='VITD',
    text='Vitamin D3 1000 IU',
)
rxd.date_time_dispensed = '20240415120000'
rxd.actual_dispense_amount = '30'
rxd.actual_dispense_units = CWE(identifier='IU', text='IU')
rxd.prescription_number = 'RX-WELL-2024-01'
2

Probiotic bottle with refills and provider

Refill count, notes, dispensing provider, and substitution status

from zato.hl7v2.v2_9 import RXD
from zato.hl7v2.v2_9 import CWE, XCN

rxd = RXD()
rxd.dispense_sub_id_counter = '1'
rxd.dispense_give_code = CWE(
    identifier='PROB', text='Daily Probiotic')
rxd.date_time_dispensed = '20240415140000'
rxd.actual_dispense_amount = '90'
rxd.actual_dispense_units = CWE(
    identifier='BOT', text='Bottle')
rxd.actual_dosage_form = CWE(
    identifier='TAB', text='Tablet')
rxd.prescription_number = 'RX-WELL-PROB'
rxd.number_of_refills_remaining = '3'
rxd.dispense_notes = ['Shake gently', 'Refrigerate']
rxd.dispensing_provider = XCN(
    person_identifier='445566',
    family_name='RIVER',
    given_name='JORDAN',
    suffix='RPH'
)
rxd.substitution_status = 'G'
3

Multivitamin with package and pharmacy context

Daily dose, strength, package size, locations, pharmacy, and phone

from zato.hl7v2.v2_9 import RXD
from zato.hl7v2.v2_9 import (
    CQ, CWE, EI, XAD, XTN,
)

rxd = RXD()
rxd.dispense_sub_id_counter = '1'
rxd.dispense_give_code = CWE(
    identifier='MULTI', text='Daily Multivitamin')
rxd.date_time_dispensed = '20240401080000'
rxd.actual_dispense_amount = '60'
rxd.actual_dispense_units = CWE(
    identifier='TAB', text='Tablet')
rxd.actual_dosage_form = CWE(
    identifier='TAB', text='Tablet')
rxd.prescription_number = 'RX-MV-01'
rxd.number_of_refills_remaining = '2'
rxd.needs_human_review = 'N'
rxd.total_daily_dose = CQ(
    quantity='1',
    units=CWE(identifier='TAB'),
)
rxd.special_dispensing_instructions = [
    CWE(identifier='WELL', text='Wellness clinic'),
    CWE(identifier='SUPP', text='Nutrition bundle'),
]
rxd.substance_expiration_date = ['20261231']
rxd.substance_manufacturer_name = [
    CWE(identifier='VITCO', text='Vitamin Co')]
rxd.indication = [
    CWE(identifier='NUTR', text='Daily nutrition')]
rxd.dispense_package_size = '100'
rxd.dispense_package_size_unit = CWE(
    identifier='BOT', text='Bottle')
rxd.dispense_package_method = 'U'
rxd.supplementary_code = [
    CWE(identifier='PLAN', text='Wellness plan')]
rxd.initiating_location = CWE(
    identifier='INIT', text='Central fill')
rxd.packaging_assembly_location = CWE(
    identifier='PKG', text='Pack line')
rxd.actual_drug_strength_volume = '5'
rxd.actual_drug_strength_volume_units = CWE(
    identifier='ML', text='mL')
rxd.dispense_to_pharmacy = CWE(
    identifier='PHARM',
    text='Green Valley Pharmacy',
)
rxd.dispense_to_pharmacy_address = XAD(
    street_address='100 Wellness Way',
    city='Portland',
    state_or_province='OR',
    zip_or_postal_code='97201',
    country='USA',
)
rxd.pharmacy_order_type = 'O'
rxd.dispense_type = CWE(
    identifier='RETAIL', text='Patient pickup')
rxd.pharmacy_phone_number = XTN(
    telephone_number='5551002000',
    telecommunication_use_code='PRN',
    telecommunication_equipment_type='PH'
)
rxd.dispense_tag_identifier = [
    EI(
        entity_identifier='TAG01',
        universal_id_type='WELL',
    ),
]
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
Related segments

Commonly used with RXD

ORC Common order RXE Pharmacy / treatment encoded order RXO Pharmacy / treatment order RXR Pharmacy / treatment route RXG Pharmacy / treatment give PID Patient identification
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

RXD documents a dispense event: what product was released, when, how much, under which prescription or order identifiers, and with supporting notes, provider, substitution flags, strength, packaging, and pharmacy or pickup context for nutrition and wellness programs.

Use CWE for field 2 and assign it to dispense_give_code:

from zato.hl7v2.v2_9 import RXD, CWE

rxd = RXD()
rxd.dispense_give_code = CWE(
    identifier='VIT01', text='Vitamin D 1000IU')

HL7 reserves RXD field 13; leave it empty in ER7 so later fields stay aligned with your interface specification and Zato’s RXD layout.

Field 12 is a composite quantity with units. Use CQ with a numeric quantity and CWE units:

from zato.hl7v2.v2_9 import RXD, CQ, CWE

rxd = RXD()
rxd.total_daily_dose = CQ(
    quantity='2',
    units=CWE(identifier='TAB'))

Fields such as dispense_notes, special_dispensing_instructions, indication, supplementary_code, and dispense_tag_identifier may repeat in ER7. In Python, assign a list of values or typed instances as defined on the segment.

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

RXD field reference

Complete list of fields in the RXD segment, HL7 v2.9.

#Python nameDatatypeUsageRepeatableTable
1dispense_sub_id_counterNMRequiredNo-
2▶dispense_give_codeCWERequiredNoHL70292
3date_time_dispensedDTMRequiredNo-
4actual_dispense_amountNMRequiredNo-
5▶actual_dispense_unitsCWEOptionalNoHL70704
6▶actual_dosage_formCWEOptionalNoHL70705
7prescription_numberSTRequiredNo-
8number_of_refills_remainingNMOptionalNo-
9dispense_notesSTOptionalYes-
10▶dispensing_providerXCNOptionalYes-
11substitution_statusIDOptionalNoHL70167
12▶total_daily_doseCQOptionalNo-
14needs_human_reviewIDOptionalNoHL70136
15▶special_dispensing_instructionsCWEOptionalYesHL70706
16actual_strengthNMOptionalNo-
17▶actual_strength_unitCWEOptionalNoHL70707
18substance_lot_numberSTOptionalYes-
19substance_expiration_dateDTMOptionalYes-
20▶substance_manufacturer_nameCWEOptionalYes-
21▶indicationCWEOptionalYesHL70694
22dispense_package_sizeNMOptionalNo-
23▶dispense_package_size_unitCWEOptionalNoHL70709
24dispense_package_methodIDOptionalNoHL70321
25▶supplementary_codeCWEOptionalYesHL70700
26▶initiating_locationCWEOptionalNoHL70711
27▶packaging_assembly_locationCWEOptionalNoHL70712
28actual_drug_strength_volumeNMOptionalNo-
29▶actual_drug_strength_volume_unitsCWEOptionalNoHL70713
30▶dispense_to_pharmacyCWEOptionalNoHL70714
31▶dispense_to_pharmacy_addressXADOptionalNo-
32pharmacy_order_typeIDOptionalNoHL70480
33▶dispense_typeCWEOptionalNoHL70484
34▶pharmacy_phone_numberXTNOptionalYes-
35▶dispense_tag_identifierEIOptionalYes-

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