Secure Messaging

Introduction

Secure messaging is a service that enables the secure and reliable exchange of clinical documents between healthcare providers. The Agency, together with industry partners is developing the National Secure Messaging Network (NSMN). Based on a set of Australian and international standards, the NSMN defines several roles that can be implemented by developers. This page provides an overview of the key information and resources available to assist you in implementing these roles. 

Secure Messaging Pre-Requisites:  

Overview of Secure Messaging Conformance Journey

The following steps will assist software developers building solutions to support Secure Messaging. 

Step 1: Understand the NSMN Blueprint 

In order to implement Secure Messaging, you will need to understand how to apply the NSMN Blueprint within your solution.  The blueprint describes the key roles within the secure messaging national network and the capabilities required of each role, as well as providing examples of how specific implementations might fulfil those roles. 

Step 2: Download and understand the Interoperability Specification 

The Interoperability Specification (IS) details the technical requirements that underpin the NSMN. The IS defines the requirements that each role must meet, and any solution constraints that must be adhered to when meeting those requirements.

Step 3: Achieve conformance through the NSMN Conformance Assessment Scheme

The NSMN Conformance Assessment Scheme describes the conformance assessment policies and processes administered by the Agency to ensure that healthcare providers operating within the network adhere to required standards. It is underpinned by the Interoperability Specification and provides the means for parties considering participation in the NSMN to clearly understand how they can do so, the capabilities required of their systems, and how they can demonstrate solution readiness. 

Key resources

Australian Digital Health Agency

Secure Messaging v2.1

• Specifications | EP-4112:2025
• The Secure Messaging product provides software developers with information and tools to assist in the implementation of the roles in the NSMN Blueprint.
• More information available here: Secure Messaging v2.1

HL7 Australia

Provider Directory FHIR Implementation Guide

• Specifications | FHIR PD
• The HL7 Australia Provider Directory FHIR Implementation Guide is a RESTful API for searching directories of healthcare services and healthcare providers.
• More information available here: FHIR PD.

Diagnostics and Referral Messaging Localisation of HL7 Version 2.4

• Specifications | HL7AUSD-STD-OO-ADRM-2021.1
• Australian localisation of the international HL7 V2 Standard covering the Laboratory/Diagnostics/Clinical result reporting, laboratory/radiology ordering specification and patient referral.
• The specification can be downloaded here: HL7AUSD-STD-OO-ADRM-2021.1
• More information available here: HL7 V2 Work Group.

Standards Australia

E-health secure message delivery 

• Specifications | ATS-5822
• ATS-5822 defines a set of interfaces and associated application behaviours suitable for sending clinical messages over the Internet using standard Web services protocols.
• More information on ATS-5822 available here: SAI Global web site.

E-health XML secured payload profiles 

• Specifications | ATS-5821
• ATS-5821 defines a set of interoperable mechanisms for representing secured XML data, including digital signing and encryption of secure messages.
• More information on ATS-5821 available here: SAI Global web site.

E-health web services profiles

• Specifications | ATS-5820
• ATS-5820 defines a set of interoperable mechanisms using SOAP Web services for interconnecting computer systems in digital health applications.
• More information on ATS-5820 available here: SAI Global web site.

Technical Tools

Clinical Package Validator

• Tool to check conformance of:
  • HL7 v2.4 messages (ACK^I12, ACK^O01, ACK^R01, ORM^O01, ORR^O02, ORU^R01, REF^I12)
  • HL7 v2.3.1 messages (ACK^T02, MDM^T02)
  • Packaged CDA documents
  • SMD messages
• The latest version available here: Clinical Package Validator.

CDA creation and packaging tool

• Tool for generating and signing CDA documents, creating CDA zip packages, and creating MDM-T02 messages.
• The "Clinical Document Packaging Client Library" tool is available here: ADHA's Open Source Sample Code Directory.

CDA rendering tool

• Tool for generating HTML for display of CDA documents (e.g. by a web browser).
• The "Style Sheets (for HL7™CDA documents)" tool is available here: ADHA's Open Source Sample Code Directory.

MDM message tool

• Tool for creating MDM^T02 and ACK^T02 messages.
• The "HL7™MDM Client Library" tool is available here: ADHA's Open Source Sample Code Directory.

SMD messaging tools

• Tools to support Secure Message Delivery (SMD) message construction and delivery.
• More information available under tools prefixed with "Secure Message Delivery (SMD)" here: ADHA's Open Source Sample Code Directory.