Mirth Connect: What Is Mirth Used For & How Does It Work For Health Data?

With the ongoing advancements in healthcare technology, the need for seamless integration and communication between various healthcare systems has become more crucial than ever. In the United States, where healthcare is a $4.3 trillion industry that makes up almost 18.3% of the country’s GDP, the need for efficient and effective data exchange is of the utmost importance.

This is where Mirth comes in—a powerful and flexible integration engine that healthcare organizations widely use to connect health information systems and improve data exchange. A survey found that almost 3,000 healthcare organizations in the US use Mirth as their main integration engine.

This article will examine how Mirth can be used in healthcare. So, whether you are a healthcare provider, an IT professional, or just someone interested in learning more about healthcare technology, stay tuned to discover how Mirth is changing the healthcare industry for the better. But if you want to skip the read and jump into implementing Mirth into your healthcare organization and revolutionize your data exchange and integration systems,  reach out to The APP Solutions.

What is Mirth Connect by NextGen Healthcare?

At the core of Next Gen Health, Mirth Connect is a powerful healthcare data integration engine that allows different systems to communicate. In other words, it is software that helps facilitate and translate data between computers. It is run on a web-based platform that can be easily customized to meet the specific needs of healthcare organizations.

It is a cross-platform system designed to work with a wide range of health information systems, including electronic health record (EHR) systems, laboratory information systems (LIS), and radiology information systems (RIS). By linking these systems, Mirth Connect lets healthcare organizations improve their workflows, reduce mistakes, and give better care to their patients.

Mirth has steadily increased in the United States, with over 80% of hospitals using an electronic health record (EHR) system. As the use of EHR systems grows, so does the need for different approaches to be able to talk to each other. Mirth has become a popular way to solve this problem.

Mirth Connect Interface

The Mirth interface is made up of three parts that can be accessed after logging in through the Mirth Connect administrator:

• Central dashboard: Visitors can view the status of the channels currently deployed and the number of messages received since the last deployment on the dashboard
• The left-hand side menu is for navigation
• The bottom log panel

You can use the Mirth Connect command line interface (also via the Mirth Connect administrator) to deploy channels, configure interfaces, export channels, import channels, and do other administrative operations. The Mirth Connect command line interface is a tool that connects to the Mirth Connect server.

The Mirth Connect server management interface can be controlled through a Graphical User Interface (the mirth connection server manager). On the GUI, log files are shown, and there are a number of configuration settings and options for setting up the Mirth Connect server.

Mirth Connect is compatible with various industry protocols and standards, including TCP/MLLP HTTPS JDBC File (local file system and network shares), Microsoft SQL Server, TCP/MLLP JMS SMTP SOAP (via HTTP), and more. HL7 is used more with the Mirth Connect interface than any other interface engine.

What are the Features of Mirth Connect?

One of the critical features of Mirth Connect is its ability to transform data from one format to another. For example, it can take clinical and administrative data from an EHR system and convert it into a form that a laboratory information system can use.

Another vital feature of Mirth Connect is its ability to route messages between systems. It can be configured to send messages to specific systems based on rules, ensuring that the right information is sent to the right strategy at the right time.

Mirth Connect also offers a wide range of other features that can be valuable for healthcare organizations. These include:

• Message filtering and validation: to ensure that only valid messages are sent between systems
• Message monitoring and tracking: to help healthcare organizations troubleshoot any issues
• Integration with third-party systems: to extend Mirth Connect’s capabilities even further

What is Mirth used for?

Mirth connects different healthcare systems and enables them to communicate more effectively. They can include everything from EHRs to laboratory information systems and billing systems.

But that’s not all Mirth is good for. Many manual tasks in healthcare communication, like sending lab results or processing insurance claims, can be done automatically by Mirth. Doing this saves time and money.

How does Mirth Benefit Healthcare Organizations and Patients?

Mirth offers lots of benefits to organizations. Let’s see some of them below.

Improved Patient Safety

Mirth can help improve patient safety by reducing the risk of medical errors. It can be integrated into electronic prescribing and medication administration software, for example, and healthcare providers can accurately track a patient’s medication history, and ensure that they receive the right medication, at the right dose, and at the right time. This can help prevent harmful drug interactions or medication errors that can lead to adverse reactions or other complications.

Increased Data Security and Management

The software can also enhance data security in the healthcare industry by implementing various security measures. For example, access controls can limit who can access patient information, and encryption can protect sensitive data in transit or at rest. Through data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities, Mirth evades data loss or theft by alerting administrators when certain activities are detected, such as attempts to copy, modify, or delete data.

Compliance with Regulations

Using Mirth to secure health data can assist healthcare providers in complying with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). By implementing secure data storage, access controls, and other security measures, hospitals can ensure that they are following the guidelines set out in these regulations and avoid potential fines or penalties.

Platform Adaptability

But what about the technical side of things? Mirth is also highly customizable, so healthcare organizations can tailor it to their needs. These needs can be anything from changing how data is formatted to connecting to certain third-party systems.

Improved Quality of Care through Interoperability

Interoperability in healthcare data allows for seamless sharing and communication of patient health information among healthcare providers, leading to improved quality of care. With Mirth, medical professionals can access complete and accurate patient data in real time, regardless of their location or electronic health record (EHR) system. This leads to better-informed decision-making, more coordinated care, and better patient outcomes. 

Seamless Data Integration

According to a study published in the Journal of Healthcare Information Management, the use of interface engines improved data integration and reduced the number of manual errors by 75%. With a cross-platform interface engine like Mirth, healthcare organizations can easily integrate data from various sources into a single, unified system. This means that doctors and other healthcare providers can access a patient’s entire medical history in one place, regardless of where the data was generated. This results in more accurate diagnoses, better treatment decisions, and improved patient outcomes.

Time and Cost Efficiency

In addition to improving patient outcomes, using the cross-platform interface engine abilities of Mirth Center also saves time and reduces costs. By automating data integration and reducing the need for manual data entry, healthcare organizations can operate more efficiently and allocate resources more effectively. 

Is Mirth Connect Free?

One question that many people ask is whether Mirth Connect is free. The answer to this question is both yes and no. Mirth Connect is open-source software, meaning the basic version of the software is free to download and use. 

The basic version of the Mirth Connect integration engine is called the Community Edition, and it is available for free download on the Mirth website. Many of Mirth Connect’s core features are included in the Community Edition, such as message routing, transformation, and filtering. It also includes a web-based interface that allows users to manage their integration workflows.

But the Community Edition doesn’t have some of Mirth Connect’s more advanced features, like support for clusters, training, high availability, enterprise-level security, and other software modules. It also has a web-based interface allowing users to manage their integration workflows.

What does this Mean for Healthcare Organizations?

Many healthcare organizations can get by with just the basic version of Mirth Connect. The Mirth Connect Community Edition has many core features needed for integrating healthcare, and it can be customized to meet specific organizational needs.

But bigger organizations or those with more complex integration needs may require a commercial license. With a commercial license, the extra features and professional services can help organizations be more efficient, safe, and reliable.

Before deciding whether or not to buy a commercial license for Mirth Connect, organizations should carefully look at what they need and how much money they have. Even though the basic version of the software is free, training, support, and custom development may come with extra costs.

Is Mirth Connect Open Source?

Simply put, yes, Mirth Connect is a leading open-source healthcare integration engine. This means the source code is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. It can be a big plus for healthcare organizations that want a low-cost solution that they can customize to their specific needs.

But what exactly does “open source” mean, and why does it matter for healthcare organizations? Open-source software has been developed collaboratively and is freely available for anyone to use, modify, and distribute. Therefore leading to faster innovation, more robust solutions, and lower costs.

For healthcare organizations, open-source software like Mirth Connect can offer several benefits. 

• First, it can be a cost-effective solution that organizations can customize to their needs. Because the source code is freely available, healthcare organizations can modify it to meet their unique requirements without paying for expensive licenses or proprietary software.
• Second, open-source software can be more secure. Because the source code is freely available, it can be reviewed by a large community of developers, leading to faster identification and patching of security vulnerabilities. This feature is a huge plus in healthcare, where patient data security is paramount.
• Finally, open-source software can be more reliable. Because the software is developed collaboratively, it can be more thoroughly tested and vetted than proprietary software, leading to more robust and reliable solutions.

What is the alternative to Mirth Connect?

The Redox Platform is a modern healthcare interoperability platform that can be used as an alternative to Mirth Connect. It connects healthcare organizations with technology vendors and other healthcare organizations. 

The Redox Platform has several features that make it a good alternative to Mirth Connect for healthcare organizations. Let’s look at some of these features below:

• The Redox Platform is highly scalable. It can handle millions of messages per day and can be used to connect multiple systems across multiple organizations. It is an ideal choice for large healthcare organizations that must integrate multiple systems.
• Second, the Redox Platform is highly secure. It uses state-of-the-art encryption and other security features to protect patient data and ensure compliance with healthcare regulations. 
• Third, the Redox Platform is highly customizable. It can be tailored to meet the unique needs of each healthcare organization, with a wide range of customization options available.
• The Redox Platform is easy to use. It offers a user-friendly interface that healthcare organizations can use to manage their integrations, monitor their data, and troubleshoot any issues.

On our podcast CareMinds we had the pleasure of speaking with Nick McKenzie, Group Product Manager at Redox. Watch for lots of interesting insights.

Conclusion

Mirth is a game-changer for the healthcare industry because it makes it easy for different systems to share data and work together. Since almost half of all healthcare organizations in the US use Mirth as their main integration engine, it is clear that this software tool is a key part of improving patient outcomes and streamlining healthcare workflows.

The healthcare industry constantly evolves, and technology is at the forefront of this change. With Mirth, healthcare organizations can stay ahead of the curve and ensure that their data integration and exchange systems are efficient, effective, and reliable.

At The APP Solutions, we understand the importance of efficient and reliable healthcare data exchange and integration. That is why we offer top-of-the-line health data systems and integration services to healthcare organizations looking to streamline their workflow and improve how they care for patients.

Our experienced team of developers and healthcare experts can easily incorporate Mirth into your existing healthcare systems, ensuring a seamless data exchange between various systems. 

Contact us today to learn more about our services and start your integration journey.