An HL7 queue has stopped

Symptom: the alert HL7 to … is stopped, and History › HL7 messages shows a destination’s queue as Stopped.

The destination answered a message with AE (or CE): it will not take it as it is. Because HL7 messages must arrive in order (an update must never overtake the message that created the patient), the queue waits there instead of skipping it.

1. Click show it on the stopped queue, or open the message marked Stopped. It shows the message as received, as sent to that destination, and the destination’s error text.
2. Find the cause. Common ones:
   • a field the destination requires is missing or in another format: add an edit to the route;
   • the destination does not know the patient or order yet (a message arrived out of order upstream);
   • the destination’s own interface is misconfigured.
3. Then either:
   • Retry now: the same message is sent again, as it was queued. Use it when the destination was at fault. (A message already queued keeps its content: if you changed the route’s edits, skip it and have the sending system send it again, so it is routed afresh.)
   • Skip: the message is put aside and the next is sent. It stays in the history, and can be sent again later.

Destinations that may skip refused messages by themselves are set so under When it refuses a message (AE).

Not getting through (no answer)

The alert HL7 messages from … are not reaching … means the destination does not answer, or answers AR: the node retries, from 5 seconds up to every 10 minutes, holding the queue. Check the address, port, TLS and that the destination’s interface is running.