HL7 ADT^A02 (Transfer Patient)
ADT^A02 reports that a patient has been transferred from one location to another within the facility (for example, ICU to a general ward).
When is ADT^A02 sent?
Sent when a patient changes assigned location during an existing visit; PV1 reflects the new location.
Key segments
The segments below are the ones most relevant to ADT^A02. Real messages may carry additional optional segments depending on the sending system’s configuration.
| Segment | Usage | Role |
|---|---|---|
| MSH | Required | Message header: sending/receiving application & facility, message type, control id, version. |
| EVN | Required | Event type: the trigger event code and the date/time the event occurred. |
| PID | Required | Patient identification: identifiers (MRN), name, date of birth, sex, address, phone. |
| PV1 | Optional | Patient visit: patient class, assigned location, attending provider, admit/discharge details. |
Example ADT^A02 message
A realistic, well-formed example. Segments are separated by carriage returns; fields by the pipe (|) delimiter.
MSH|^~\&|EPIC|HOSP|REC|REC|20240115120000||ADT^A02|MSGCTRLA02|P|2.5.1
EVN|A02|20240115120000
PID|1||MRN12345^^^EPIC^MR||DOE^JOHN^A||19800101|M|||123 MAIN ST^^CITYTOWN^WA^98101||555-555-0100
PV1|1|I|ICU^101^AFrequently asked questions
What is an HL7 ADT^A02 message?
ADT^A02 is an ADT (Admit, Discharge, Transfer) message with trigger event for transfer patient. It carries patient demographics (PID) and usually visit details (PV1) so downstream systems stay in sync with the patient's state.
Which segments does ADT^A02 contain?
At minimum MSH (header), EVN (event), and PID (patient identification). Most ADT^A02 messages also include PV1 (patient visit). Additional segments such as NK1, AL1, DG1 or IN1 may follow depending on the sending system's configuration.
How do I convert ADT^A02 to FHIR?
Map the PID demographics to a FHIR Patient (and PV1 to an Encounter). Identifiers need a real system URI, dates need ISO-8601 reformatting, and coded values like sex need a value-set lookup. You can do this with the Interoperall mapping tools.
How do I validate a ADT^A02 message?
Paste the raw message into the HL7v2 validator to parse each segment, check the structure, and get a compliance score. It runs entirely in your browser, so PHI never leaves your device.