Konelab Machine Custom Interface - HL7 Middleware by Triophore Technologies
Triophore Technologies developed a custom HL7 middleware solution for Orbio Solutions, enabling seamless data flow between Konelab clinical chemistry analyzers and their Laboratory Management System.
The Challenge
Business Problem
Orbio Solutions needed to integrate Konelab clinical chemistry analyzers with their modern Laboratory Management System (LMS) to eliminate manual data entry and improve efficiency. The challenge involved bridging the gap between legacy hardware using proprietary protocols and the modern software ecosystem, ensuring real-time data exchange, data integrity, and operational resilience in a 24/7 lab environment.
Technical Debt
The existing system relied on manual data entry, leading to transcription errors and slower turnaround times. The lack of seamless integration hindered Orbio's ability to offer a fully automated solution to its clients.
The Goal
To develop a robust middleware solution that enables real-time, bidirectional communication between Orbio's LMS and Konelab clinical chemistry analyzers via the HL7 protocol, ensuring data integrity, minimizing latency, and providing a scalable foundation for future integrations.
Technology Stack
Backend
Frontend
Service
The Solution
Discovery & Architecture
Triophore Technologies conducted a thorough analysis of the Konelab machine's communication protocols and Orbio's LMS architecture. The architecture involved creating a dedicated, high-performance middleware service acting as an intelligent bridge between the two systems. This decoupled the machine communication logic from the core LMS, creating a modular and scalable architecture. The team selected Python for its text processing capabilities and the HL7 protocol for standardized healthcare data exchange.
Development Phase
Triophore developed a custom HL7 engine tailored to the Konelab interface, ensuring compliance with message standards. A bidirectional gateway was implemented to manage persistent connections to the analyzers, handling command transmission and data receipt. A resilient queuing mechanism was incorporated to handle traffic spikes and prevent data loss. PostgreSQL was used for robust data persistence, providing audit trails and dynamic configuration capabilities.
Key Feature Implementation
Custom HL7 Parsing Engine, Bidirectional Gateway, Resilient Queuing Mechanism, Robust Data Persistence with PostgreSQL, Intuitive Monitoring & Control Dashboard with Live Status and Transaction Logs.
The Results
Performance
The custom interface achieved real-time data transfer between the Konelab machines and Orbio's LMS, significantly reducing latency and improving overall system responsiveness.
Scalability
The modular design of the middleware allows Orbio Solutions to easily replicate this integration pattern for other instrument types, future-proofing their platform and enabling seamless expansion.
User Impact
The zero-touch operations eliminated the need for manual data entry, freeing up lab technicians to focus on more critical tasks and improving their overall efficiency.
Business Efficiency
The solution dramatically reduced the time from sample in to result out, allowing labs to process higher volumes and improving their overall profitability. The 99.9% error reduction minimized the risk of patient safety incidents.