What Is
Mirth Connect?
Mirth Connect is a powerful, open-source data integration engine developed by NextGen Healthcare — designed specifically to enable disparate healthcare systems to communicate by translating, transforming, and routing messages in real-time.
Mirth Connect Consultation
Our experts will help you design or optimize your Mirth Connect integration environment.
The Universal Translator
for Healthcare Systems
In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare technology, one of the most persistent challenges organizations face is integrating various systems. Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Lab Information Systems (LIS), Practice Management Systems (PMS), and billing applications often operate in silos, making data sharing difficult and error-prone.
Mirth Connect acts as a central hub for healthcare data exchange — enabling disparate systems to communicate by translating, transforming, and routing messages in real-time. It supports HL7, DICOM, X12, XML, JSON, FHIR, REST, and SOAP. Think of it as a universal translator: instead of forcing each platform to speak the same language natively, Mirth enables them to talk through an intermediary that understands both sides.
Whether you're a hospital, clinic, diagnostics lab, or a healthtech startup, Mirth Connect gives you the flexibility to integrate your data securely and efficiently — without reinventing the wheel.
Mirth Connect at a Glance
Understanding the Role of a
Mirth Interface Engine
A Mirth interface engine acts as a central nerve center that monitors, transforms, and routes health data from system to system through "channels" — customizable pathways where incoming data is processed and sent to the appropriate destination.
Receive Messages
Accept incoming data in a specific format (e.g., HL7 v2.x) from any source system via MLLP, HTTP, file drop, or database polling.
Apply Custom Logic
Use filters and JavaScript transformers to apply business rules, remap fields, validate data, and convert between formats as needed.
Route to Destinations
Forward the transformed data to one or multiple destination systems in different formats or protocols — simultaneously if needed.
Demystifying
Mirth HL7 Integration
One of the most common reasons organizations adopt Mirth Connect is for HL7 message integration. HL7 (Health Level Seven) is the set of international standards for the exchange, integration, and retrieval of electronic health information — but it can be incredibly complex, with multiple versions, segment structures, and customized implementations.
Mirth Connect provides a visual interface that simplifies the handling of HL7 messages, allowing your team to eliminate data silos, ensure consistent communication, and reduce the administrative burden of manual recordkeeping.
Parse & Route HL7 Messages
Receive and route HL7 messages from one system to another with full segment-level visibility and control.
Map HL7 v2 to FHIR
Transform legacy HL7 v2 messages into modern FHIR R4 resources for interoperability with newer platforms.
Bidirectional Data Flow
Enable bidirectional data flow between systems like EHRs and labs — for orders, results, ADT events, and more.
Validation Rules
Set up validation rules to ensure message integrity and catch malformed or incomplete data before it reaches downstream systems.
The Mirth Connect Channel Pipeline
Every Mirth Connect integration follows a simple but powerful four-stage pipeline that handles message intake, filtering, transformation, and delivery.
Source Connector
Mirth Connect listens for incoming messages from source systems via TCP/MLLP, HTTP, file system, database, or FHIR endpoints.
Message Filter
Filter rules determine which messages are processed — routing specific message types, patient populations, or facilities through different channels.
Transformer
JavaScript transformers map source data to the target format — converting HL7 v2 to FHIR, remapping fields, splitting batches, and enriching messages with lookups.
Destination Connector
Transformed messages are delivered to destination systems via TCP/MLLP, HTTP/REST, FHIR API, database write, file drop, SMTP, or other connectors.
Why Healthcare Teams
Choose Mirth Connect
Open Source Flexibility
Mirth Connect is open source, which means it's both cost-effective and customizable. You're not tied to proprietary limitations, and with the right support, you can tailor it to fit your organization's exact needs.
Multi-Protocol Support
The tool supports a wide range of data standards — not just HL7. Whether you're dealing with CCD, X12, DICOM, FHIR, JSON, or XML, Mirth Connect has you covered.
Built-In Alerts & Monitoring
Mirth Connect offers real-time monitoring, alerts, and logging. This helps IT teams quickly identify and troubleshoot any issues in data flow, ensuring that critical health information is never delayed or lost.
Scalability
From small clinics to nationwide health systems, Mirth Connect scales effortlessly. You can start with a single integration and expand to hundreds of channels as your organization grows.
Security & Compliance
Data handled via Mirth can be encrypted and authenticated, aligning with HIPAA and other healthcare data protection regulations. TLS/SSL, audit logging, and role-based access control are all supported.
How Healthcare Teams Use Mirth
In each scenario below, Mirth Connect acts as the glue that binds fragmented systems into a unified ecosystem.
Hospital Systems
Integrating patient records between emergency, radiology, and lab departments for seamless care coordination.
Diagnostic Labs
Receiving HL7 lab orders from multiple providers and sending back structured results automatically.
Telehealth Platforms
Syncing visit records and appointment data with a central EHR system for complete patient histories.
Public Health Reporting
Automating the submission of required data to government health agencies, reducing manual effort and errors.
Pharmacy Chains
Sharing prescription data across multiple outlets while maintaining centralized inventory systems.
FHIR API Gateway
Exposing existing HL7 data as FHIR R4 resources through Mirth Connect's FHIR listener connectors.
Getting Started with Mirth Connect
Starting with Mirth Connect is surprisingly accessible — even for teams without deep programming experience. The platform offers a user-friendly interface for building channels, configuring message filters, and deploying data flows.
Install Mirth Connect
Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Download the latest installer from the NextGen Healthcare GitHub releases page.
Access the Administrator
Launch the Mirth Connect Administrator via a browser-based dashboard or the standalone Java client at https://[server-ip]:8443.
Create a Channel
Specify source and destination connectors — for example, a TCP/MLLP listener receiving HL7 messages and an HTTP destination sending to an EHR.
Apply Transformations
Use the built-in JavaScript transformer or drag-and-drop mapping templates to convert and reroute your data as needed.
Deploy & Test
Deploy the channel and test it with sample data. Use the message dashboard to monitor throughput, errors, and delivery status in real time.
Mirth Connect FAQs
What is Mirth Connect used for in healthcare?
Is Mirth Connect the same as NextGen Connect?
What programming knowledge do I need to use Mirth Connect?
What database does Mirth Connect use?
Can Mirth Connect handle high message volumes?
Do You Need Professional Mirth Support?
While Mirth Connect is open-source and flexible, navigating HL7 standards and setting up complex channels can get technical. Our Mirth Connect specialists are here to guide you every step of the way.
- Designing and developing custom Mirth channels
- Troubleshooting and resolving interface issues
- Scaling integrations across multiple systems
- Ensuring HL7 compliance and data accuracy
- Providing 24/7 monitoring and maintenance
Talk to a Mirth Connect Expert
Tell us about your integration environment and we'll respond within 24 hours.