FHIR, or Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, is a new standard for exchanging healthcare information that is easier to use and more interoperable than previous standards.
FHIR provides a common language for exchanging healthcare data, making it easier for different systems to communicate with each other, which will help to improve the quality of care and make it easier for patients to get the care they need. FHIR is more flexible than ever, so instead of a set standardized export, it’s a fluid language that take into account many networks and EHRs So what is FHIR, and how does it impact the healthcare industry? Read on to find out more.
What is FHIR?
FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) is a new standard for representing and exchanging electronic health information. Its goal is to simplify the process of sharing health data while ensuring that the data is both accurate and secure.
FHIR is based on existing standards, including HL7 v2, v3, and CDA, and it builds on well-established methods for exchanging information between different computer systems. FHIR is being developed by HL7 International, a not-for-profit standards development organization.
It works with a wide variety of existing health IT systems, including EHRs, clinical decision support systems, and health information exchanges. It also uses the latest Internet technologies, like RESTful Web services and XML/JSON, allowing for data exchange between different software applications using the same kind of ‘web’ technology used to exchange data on the internet. FHIR is also designed to be mobile-friendly.
The Importance of Interoperability
Interoperability is the ability of two or more computer systems to exchange, interpret, and communicate information with each other. This allows providers to access, gather, and share information securely and quickly when done correctly. For example, let’s say a client comes into your clinic. Instead of going over the medications and treatments that the patient has received at another clinic or hospital, you can get their electronic health records (EHR) online. From there, you’ll order tests and have the results sent to different departments automatically. As you can see, interoperable systems benefit both the clinic and the patient as it speeds up care, lowers overhead, and reduces the chance of human error.
FHIR can help to improve patient care by giving providers better access to information. It uses application programming interface (API) standards, allowing users to create apps that share data into a provider’s workflow. Instead of exchanging documents and looking at datasets individually, users can now get a complete view of their patients.
FHIR and being HIPAA Compliant
HIPAA is a set of federal regulations that govern how protected health information (PHI) can be used and disclosed. FHIR doesn’t take a healthcare organization in or out of HIPAA compliance however it can be implemented to work in a HIPAA-compliant network or system. meet these requirements.
Health tech companies are embracing using FHIR to craft their solutions from the start instead of trying to work backwards with data that wont play well together. This level of open interoperability can also open doors for patients to take control of their health records online, at home and on the go. This in turn can help clinics, doctors, families and so many more resources. Patients will be able to control and share their health data from wearables, labs, hospitals. To find out more about FormDr and what we are doing to integrate with other systems, check our our Development page for the latest and greatest.
